With cycling the fastest growing participation sport in Australia, Tourism New Zealand has put it at the heart of its plans to drive more visitors to New Zealand to experience a cycling holiday. Following a $50 million investment by the New Zealand Government and a further $30 million from local communities to develop Nga Haerenga (The New Zealand Cycle Trail), more visitors are now jumping on a bike when visiting New Zealand.
New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia Mr. Chris Seed, said the $80 million investment has already made noticeable improvements. “The development of a world class network of cycle trails has seen nearly 10% of Australians participate in some form of cycling activity while visiting.”
Kevin Bowler, Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand said research has shown nearly a quarter of all Australian visitors are open to the idea of cycling, so there is still plenty we can do to illustrate how spectacular and appealing these two-wheeled journeys are.
“With over 2,500 kilometres of pristine trails, the diverse routes offer visitors a unique way to see untouched national parks, mountains and lakes of the North and South Islands”.
“The 23 Great Rides give Australians an active way to explore landscapes that are hidden away from roads yet close to everything – including food and wine.”
“Some of the most popular trails include the abandoned gold mining country and snow-capped peaks of the Otago Central Rail Trailand West Coast Wilderness Trail, as well as the mighty rivers and geothermal hot pools on the Te Ara Ahi Trail.”
Tourism New Zealand has partnered with Fairfax Media Limited to distribute a 32-page cycling lift-out that will appear in newspapers across Australia on Saturday 2 May 2015. The lift-out will be supported with Fairfax editorial and digital activity. New Zealand’s 23 Great Rides are of varying degrees of difficulty, appealing to all ages and cycling tastes.
Visit Tourism New Zealand’s online cycling hub for more information www.newzealand.com/au/cycling.