Tane Mahuta For Bledisloe Cup

Media Release 21/10/'09

Tane Mahuta For Bledisloe Cup

A huge image of New Zealand's kauri icon, Tane Mahuta, will be screened in the giant promotional 'rugby ball' at the Tokyo Bledisloe Cup.

The 'pairing' of Tane Mahuta in the Waipoua Forest, with a giant Japanese cedar – an event known as 'the union of ancient trees' is expected to attract a big increase in eco-tourists from Japan.

The union was arranged through Tourism New Zealand and the Waipoua iwi, Te Roroa, which operates the Waipoua visitors centre and tourism complex in the forest. It is supported by The Kauri Museum

Kaipara District Council Mayor, Neil Tiller, has just returned from a visit to the Japanese island of Yakushima, where the ancient giant cedar is revered as Jomon Sugi.

“Yakushima is a world heritage site and attracts 450,000 visitors a year, and now Kaipara and New Zealand is being advertised directly to them with special displays at the Yakushima Museum and on information boards. Already a group of 60 tourists led by the mayor of Yakashima is booked in to come to the Kaipara and the Waipoua Forest,” said Mr Tiller.

In another advertising coup, giant images of Tane Mahuta and Jomon Sugi are to be directed on opposite inside walls of the giant promotional rugby ball New Zealand is displaying a.the .Bledisloe Cup match on October 31 in Tokyo. The 'ball has already been the centre of New Zealand rugby world cup promotions in London and Paris..

Tourism New Zealand will place the giant ball below the Tokyo Tower from Wednesday,

October 28 through to Tuesday, November 3 to promote the next Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

“Inside the ball, visitors can experience NZ through a 360 degree visual display. There will be exciting Maori performances outside,” said Tourism NZ manager for Japan, Jason Hill.

ENDS

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