August 10, 2005

Te Puia Wins Australian Tourism Award

Australians have voted Rotorua tourism attraction Te Puia the best place to visit in the North Island.

Customers of Grand Pacific Tours – a New Zealand coach holiday specialist company based in Australia – voted Te Puia as the best visitor attraction in the North Island.

Te Puia sales manager (Australia) Jimmy Hignett collected the award at Grand Pacific Tour's Gala Awards ceremony in Melbourne on Saturday night, August 6.

Tourism leader and Te Puia chief executive Andrew Te Whaiti is thrilled the company's recent rebrand has hit the mark in Australia.

"Our new branding means we can more clearly define what's on offer here. This award confirms for us that tourists are finding it easier to identify what we have here – the geothermal valley, Maori cultural experience and the New Zealand Maori Arts And Crafts Institute."

Grand Pacific Tours product manager Renee Cooley was pleased to see Te Puia take out the best North Island attraction award

"Te Puia has been an included attraction in Grand Pacific Tours core series itineraries for a number of seasons. Passengers thoroughly enjoy their time at Te Puia as it is an all inclusive visit featuring the geothermal mud pools that Rotorua is famous for in addition to a traditional hangi and concert of very high quality."

Grand Pacific Tours coaches are regular visitors to Te Puia, especially during the summer season.

Record numbers of Australians are holidaying in New Zealand. This year 870,000 tourists have visited. At least a million Australian visitors are expected to be travelling here within two years.

ENDS