Boost for Northland Tourism - Planned Expansion of Resort

8 November 2013

Major Boost for Northland Tourism as Resort’s New Owner Plans Expansion and International Marketing Effort

The new Chinese owner of the Peppers Carrington resort on Northland’s east coast has committed to progressive investment in the long- established resort, attracting more high-income tourists, increasing wine exports from the property and offering new local jobs. Residential facilities will be added to as tourist numbers from New Zealand and overseas increase.

Shanghai CRED Real Estate, a company with extensive experience in creating and marketing diversified resorts, has purchased Peppers Carrington from its American owner Paul Kelly on the basis that it will invest millions of dollars over the next few years to realise its full potential.

The transaction, which has been approved by the Overseas Investment Office, is seen as a major vote of confidence in Northland’s tourism future.

Peppers Carrington is set on more than 1,000 hectares looking over the Pacific Ocean and includes a substantial vineyard and a golf course designed by American Matt Dye, as well as the main resort lodge and associated freestanding villas.

New Zealander Simon Jones, who has been with the resort for nearly six years, has been appointed as CEO of the resort and its associated companies. His wife Lian has been Head Accountant for more than a year. All 40 staff have been offered continuing employment.

Mr Jones says all future development will be carried out with great attention to environmental considerations, preserving native bush and wetlands, which add to the attraction of the property, and taking into account the interests of the local community.

‘As tourist numbers grow and further development is undertaken, job numbers will increase and we will be employing local people wherever possible.”

Promotion and Expansion Plans
Formed in I999, Shanghai CRED Real Estate is one of the largest real estate developers in Shanghai, with a focus on integrated property development and a record of more than 50 successfully completed projects. It is currently working on eight projects totalling 1.4 million square metres.

It intends to promote Peppers Carrington resort, with its vineyard and 18 hole golf course, to high-income Chinese tourists drawing on its experience in creating and marketing mixed- use developments in China, including hotels, golf courses, residences and conference centres. It will also increase the promotion of the resort and its facilities to other international tourists and to New Zealanders.

The new owner intends to offer a range of services at a level expected by the top end of the international tourist market, and will extend the accommodation available as demand grows. It also intends to develop and promote convention facilities.

At the same time, it will upgrade and expand the existing 188 hectare vineyard, which is already exporting to China, aiming to make best use of its Chinese operations and contacts to export significantly increasing quantities of wine to China.

The existing farming and quarrying operations will be continued, a trial manuka oil extraction plant will be built and the new owners have undertaken to continue to care for significant areas of native vegetation, wetlands and several recognised archaeological sites on the property, in accordance with protocols agreed with the Council and local iwi. Public access to the four kilometres of white sand beach will continue to be provided, with seasonally restricted access to the area where New Zealand dotterels nest.

Attracting Affluent Tourists
Shanghai CRED’s general manager, Mr Guo Gui, says the company is very comfortable with the concept of mixed-use development and understands the experiences and services which affluent tourists value.

Mr Gui says the resort can provide the sort of holiday experience that high-income Chinese and other international tourists are seeking, and the seclusion of Peppers Carrington is viewed positively by this segment of the market, as well as the ability to enjoy the beautiful natural environment of the resort, the white sand beach, the golf course, and wines from the resort’s own vineyard.

Other local attractions range from Olympic quality skeet and trap shooting, tennis, and kayaking to bird watching or deep sea fishing (most of the world’s striped marlin records were set of the tip of the Karikari peninsula).

“At the same time, as part of their holiday, tourists may also want to visit other Northland attractions. Bringing in more affluent tourists seeking new experiences will help revitalise tourism in the north," he says.

Mr Gui says affluent Chinese tourists tend to use Chinese tourist agencies, which, in turn, prefer to recommend Chinese-owned resorts internationally.
“We will promote Peppers Carrington through our own resorts and our many contacts in tourism in China.”

China is already New Zealand’s second largest tourism market after Australia, with 222, 000 Chinese tourists coming to New Zealand in the past year ended June 30, with a further 100,000 tourists expected next year. Tourism New Zealand recently announced plans to actively promote international golf tourism in New Zealand, which would benefit the Carrington course in the Far North.

Peppers Carrington, which recently became a member of the Peppers chain of resorts in Australia and New Zealand, is some four hours drive from Auckland, or can be reached via scheduled or charter flights to Kaitaia airport.

Photographs and more information at www.peppers.co.nz/carrington.

ENDS

© Scoop Media