East Cape businesses join Great New Zealand Touring Route
29-July-2008

East Cape Maori tourism businesses involved with the Poutama Business Trust are the latest to join the Great New Zealand Touring Route (GNZTR).

The trust, which assists Maori businesses across the company, has joined the international marketing alliance as a financial member. It represents nine export-ready tourism operators in the East Cape.

The Great New Zealand Touring Route is comprised of Central North Island regions who work together to market two touring routes: Pacific Coast Highway and Thermal Explorer Highway. It is also the only regional marketing alliance in New Zealand to produce a combined product manual, employ a sales executive and have a dedicated suite of collateral including maps and a website. 

Visitors can choose to follow either the Pacific Coast Highway through the coast into the regions of The Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay and now East Cape, or inland on the Thermal Explorer Highway to the Ruapehu region, Lake Taupo, Rotorua and Waitomo.  

The Poutama Business Trust has been involved in tourism for more than 10 years. Oscar Nathan, Business Advisor for the Central North Island, Bay of Plenty and East Coast regions, said joining GNZTR was a good opportunity for the businesses in the East Cape, which he said is still largely untouched by the visitor market.

“It was a no-brainer for us to join GNZTR for these businesses; it gives them great profile alongside other key regions in the touring routes. We are excited about the potential for what GNZTR will bring for the tourism businesses.”

Rebecca Van Orden, Chair of the Great New Zealand Touring Route, says having East Cape businesses involved in GNZTR helps strengthen the tourism route’s offerings.

“We are happy to have these quality operators from the Eastland region involved in the extensive international promotions work we do as a collective.”

The full members of GNZTR are Tourism Coromandel, Tourism Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay Inc, Destination Rotorua, Visit Ruapehu, Destination Lake Taupo and the Waitomo District Council.

ENDS

For more information please contact:
Rebecca Van Orden
Chairman
Great New Zealand Touring Route
07 895 8188
rebecca@ruapehudc.govt.nz