Enjoy the Journey and the Destination says Whale Watch Kaikoura.

Tuesday May 9. For immediate release

A new tourism route round-trip from Christchurch to Kaikōura provides stunning views and world class tourism experiences on and off the water says the chief executive of Whale Watch Kaikoura.

Whale Watch Kaikoura chief executive Kauahi Ngapora says the 450 kilometre route running between Christchurch, Kaikōura and Hanmer Springs, through to Waipara Valley in North Canterbury, provides a compelling range of tourism experiences for visitors journeying too, and from Kaikōura.

“The new route provides further reason to organise an entire weekend, or week, of internationally recognised tourism experiences, exceptional food and wine and some of the most beautiful coastal and inland scenery Aotearoa has to offer,” he says.

The NZ Transport Authority approved route, previously known as the Alpine Pacific Triangle, has been lengthened and renamed the Alpine Pacific Touring Route (APT).

Mr Ngapora says the new route provides another reason to make Kaikōura the destination of choice for visitors to the country, and for kiwis looking to experience the wonder and majesty of whale watching.

“This is a great opportunity to showcase the natural beauty of the new look Kaikōura coastline along with our majestic marine life. Now the focus can be on experiencing the journey as well as the destination, making Kaikōura essential to everyone’s travel-bucket-list”

He said the region had shown incredible resilience following the turmoil that followed the November earthquake.

“This development is some much-needed good news for our region and we applaud all the work that is going on to getting roads in and out of the region repaired, and to the work that has gone into opening the new tour route.

“We urge all our friends and supporters locally and internationally to journey the new route on their way to come and pay us a visit, and in doing so allow us the opportunity to show our gratitude and hospitality for all the well-wishes and support we received in our time of need.” - End

About Whale Watch Kaikoura

Whale Watch is a multiple award-winning nature tourism company owned and operated by the indigenous Kati Kuri people of Kaikōura, a Māori sub-tribe of the South Island's larger Ngai Tahu Tribe.

Established in 1987, Whale Watch Kaikōura specialises in providing an inspirational experience for more than 100,000 visitors each year who take in the majesty and grace of giant sperm whales in their natural environment off the East Coast of New Zealand’s South Island.

With unobtrusive viewing from specially designed vessels, tours also provide the opportunity to enjoy other temporary and long-term Kaikōura residents including dusky and Hector dolphins, New Zealand fur seals, and various species of mollymawk albatross, petrels, shearwaters, prions, fulmars and migrating whale species, including the humpback, southern right, blue, fin, orca, and the bottlenose.

www.whalewatch.co.nz

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