Maori Flavour for Major New Zealand Push in Dubai

Media Release

27 April 2005

Maori Flavour for Major New Zealand Push in Dubai

Emirates is flying the Maori experience into Arabia, with the departure for
Dubai today of a Maori culture group that will be part of a major thrust
aimed at developing tourism from the Middle East to New Zealand.

Tourism New Zealand, the Maori-Experienz (Menz) cultural cluster and
Emirates Airline have combined to present New Zealand at a number of events
and venues in Dubai over the coming three weeks in the biggest tourism push
in the Middle East yet.

The Pounamu kapa haka group, which flew out today, is part of the Menz
group, a new initiative which includes representatives of Maori tourism,
food, wine, art and contemporary entertainment.

Tourism New Zealand and Menz will have the live attraction of Pounamu at
two major tourism events in Dubai, the Emirates Holiday World travel show
and the Arabian Travel Market. The Maori cluster will also combine for an
evening reception at the upmarket Mina A'Salam Hotel and they will take
part in a New Zealand food and cultural week at another top-ranking Dubai
hotel, the Shangri-la.

In addition, during the entire month of May, Dnata Agencies, the travel
agency and travel management arm of the Emirates Group, will also be
promoting New Zealand as its "destination of the month". There will be an
integrated consumer marketing push in Dubai, which will include newspaper
advertising and a large New Zealand billboard between lanes on the city's
main thoroughfare, Sheikh Zayed Road.

"Visitor arrivals from this region to New Zealand have been growing
consistently over recent years, and we're keen to make sure our target
market know what New Zealand has to offer," said George Hickton, Tourism
New Zealand Chief Executive. "As the largest trade and consumer travel
show in the Gulf region, Arabian Travel Market presents some great
opportunities for New Zealand. That is why this is the sixth year we have
coordinated a New Zealand presence at the show.

"We are pleased to be working with such high quality New Zealand tourism
operators and to have the support of Emirates Airline in making the New
Zealand presence at the show possible."

Emirates' Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Far East and
Australasia, Richard Vaughan, said: "Along with Tourism New Zealand, we
have been promoting New Zealand in the Middle East and across our global
network on an ongoing basis, since the inauguration of our services to New
Zealand. Emirates is pleased to support this latest initiative from Tourism
New Zealand, which we are confident will produce excellent results."

Emirates Airline started services to New Zealand in mid-2003. The
Dubai-based international airline now operates 28 return flights a week
from New Zealand. Its services connect New Zealand to Australia and Dubai,
as well as beyond, into Europe, Africa and other cities in the Middle East.

ENDS

© Scoop Media