Media Centre

New $18.6m design for terminal
It's back to basics for a cruise-ship terminal on Queens Wharf after the sinking of grand proposals costing $49 million and $29 million.Faced with community and political resistance, Mayor Len Brown has leaned on Waterfront Auckland...

State sector chiefs spend millions flying the flag
Film festivals, museum exhibitions and tourist junkets are some of the things public service chiefs attended while spending more than $3.3 million in taxpayers' money on travel in just 18 months.A Herald survey of 120 state-sector...

Tourism at a low - Greece wishes you were there
"Wish you were here" isn't a slogan that can be spotted amid the racks of postcards spilling into the streets in Athens' tourist traps, but the sentiment is visible everywhere. It's in the eyes of every bored-looking hotel receptionist...

Travel chiefs declare war on airline tax
New Zealand and Australian travel chiefs are stepping up their campaign against new passenger taxes which they say could be the tipping point for a 10 per cent plunge in transtasman tourism.Air New Zealand, which last week announced...

Tourism groups vow to fight 17pc hike in Aussie departure tax
Australia's tourism lobby groups are getting in behind a challenge to that nation's 17 per cent hike in departure tax, which may squeeze New Zealand's biggest source of visitors.Australia's federal government announced an increase...

Analyst cuts back outlook for SkyCity
An analyst has slashed SkyCity's financial outlook and warned of risks to the transtasman business.After SkyCity revised its own financial forecasts, Morningstar analyst Nachi Moghe issued a new detailed analysis yesterday, cutting...

Little Barrier Island: Good for the soul
A famous story is told around the Hauraki Gulf of how Rahui Te Kiri, wife of the last chief of Hauturu (Little Barrier Island) was so aggrieved at being evicted from her home that she swam back to the island - twice.The details...

Great Barrier Island: The jewel of the Gulf
Everyone likes to imagine that they might come across something truly extraordinary during their adventures in the great outdoors. A mythical creature, like the yeti, or a surviving remnant of an extinct species. A moa perhaps.Okay,...

Haunted by the memory of these visits
From the moment the doors closed behind me, I knew something was amiss. My friend and I were in Hanmer Springs for a weekend of pampering. We'd treated ourselves to the best hotel in town, and were looking forward to two days of relaxation...

Hamilton: Animal magnets
The Brazilian tapir is not one of the superstars of the animal world. Indeed, it's frequently referred to as "unique looking" which we all know is a kindly way of saying unattractive. Yet, the tapir which is so docile and patient-looking...

The Hollyford Track: Land of ripping yarns
Fortunately, there are no Australians in our group. "I need to warn you about dangerous plants," says Mike soon after we begin our three-day hike along the Hollyford Valley. He points to the leafy shrub beside him. "This is tutu....

Domestic business travel surges in 2011
There was a big jump in domestic travel last year, with an 11.3 per cent increase in overnight trips by local tourists.According to latest tourism survey run by the Ministry of Economic Development, New Zealand travellers made 17.7...