Largest ever show home opens at Queenstown’s Millbrook Resort

by August 24, 2020

The grandest and most luxurious show home ever built by the developers of Queenstown’s Millbrook Resort is opening its doors this weekend.

Residences on Dalgleish is a collection of five magnificent homes designed by award-winning Mason & Wales Architects, fronting the 4th and overlooking the 7th fairways of the Coronet Nine, bathed in year-round sunshine and with outstanding mountain views.

And while debate rages around whether New Zealand’s property market is going up or down, sales at the high-end golf and lifestyle resort appear to indicate a healthy appetite for homes at the highest end of the spectrum.

The new 405m2 show home is on the market for $5.765million fully furnished — of the different designs available two have already sold while another is under contract.

Millbrook Resort Director of Property and Development Ben O’Malley says sales have been “running hot” since lockdown, adding up to over $15 million in confirmed sales and another $10 million under contract.

“We’re seeing an upswing in buyers from Auckland where there appears to be a mindset that if they’re not going to be travelling, then they’re keen to invest in Queenstown property and enjoy the lifestyle that Millbrook and its surrounds have to offer,” he says.

“It was a new venture for us to build home and land packages of this size, but we were confident that there was a market for larger homes ready to move into. Sales to date vindicate us taking that opportunity.”

The five-home development is made up of two distinct home designs known as the Stirling (show home) and the Braemar which sit on sites averaging around 1,200m2.

Spread over four distinct pavilions, clad in different yet complementary materials including schist stone, glass, timber, steel and slate, the Stirling show home impresses from the outset.

Steel and glass entry doors open up to a spacious entry lobby where a curved stone wall bathed in uplights connects living and sleeping pavilions.

A large wine room has pride of place, and the entrance to the living area is flanked by a sumptuously-decorated semi-circular media room to one side and an office with built in desk, ultra-fast broadband and expansive storage opposite.

The living pavilion is a symphony of light and height, a contemporary interpretation of a Central Otago barn with rich stained soaring cedar ceilings, steel feature trusses and plaster finished walls.

A striking kitchen and scullery with integrated appliances, designed by Rachel Barnes of Ingrid Geldof Design, takes pride of place in the heart of the home, while a steel feature fireplace invites owners and guests to sit back and relax.

The space opens out to three separate terraces to the east, north and west, and a covered loggia with Louvretech roofing features a built-in fire, BBQ and rangehood for the ultimate in outdoor entertaining.

Each of the two-bedroom pavilions boasts a master bedroom and an additional bedroom, perfect for two families buying a holiday home together. All four bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms with a range of freestanding or built-in baths, double or single showers, double basins and some with large dressing rooms. They too have access to outdoor terraces or the loggia, capturing the best of the sun and views at different times of the day.

Another pavilion houses garaging with ample space for two cars and a golf cart, while custom-built ski racks, a drying room and loft storage space means there is plenty of room for holiday sports equipment.

With different bedding configurations available, the show home can very comfortably sleep up to 8 people, all on one level.

Interior designer Roz Hamilton has crafted a stunning aesthetic that is moody and dramatic, with sophisticated use of steel and timber, softened with luxurious furnishings.

Millbrook Resort’s most recent development was the eight-home neighbourhood called The Frontiers. The first four homes are finished and the remaining four are close to completion. Only one of the eight is still for sale.

“We are thrilled with the show home where our design team has collaborated extremely well to achieve what is our most stunning show home to date,” says Mr O’Malley.

“Bamford McLeod Construction has crafted these homes to very high standards and we look forward to people viewing this magnificent property.”

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Homestead Bay welcomes new fun-run series

by July 27, 2020

Queenstown’s Homestead Bay is set to be the stunning ‘home’ of a new, local fun-run series.

Queenstown’s Homestead Bay is set to be the stunning ‘home’ of a new, local fun-run series.

The Homestead Bay Run series will comprise four running/walking events for all ages and levels of capability from August to November, managed by well-established events company Active QT.

Homestead Bay is a new lakeside development set on two natural land terraces spread over 45ha, with a kilometer of pristine lake frontage, all-day sun and uninterrupted views of the snow-capped The Remarkables mountain range.

Associate Director Brandon Morley – himself a keen runner — says he is “absolutely thrilled” to offer other runners, families and those looking for an invigorating walk the chance to enjoy what the land has to offer.

“Homestead Bay is the last lakefront development of its kind, which means this is a fantastic opportunity to experience the tranquility and spectacular 360 views right beside the clear blue waters of Lake Wakatipu,” he says.

“The events promise to be a superb community day out, so whether people are keen to take part or just come along and watch they’re encouraged to do so.”

Each Homestead Bay Run event will offer a 5km and 10km walk/run. Adults and children can either enter individual events, or sign up to do all four in the event series.

Active QT Race Director Adrian Bailey, says the location for the series, doesn’t get any better than Homestead Bay.

“It’s the perfect new location because it ticks all the right boxes with wide open space, and stunning views. I’ve spent time on the land scoping out a superb 5km loop track and we’re extremely lucky and proud to have access to this premium spot.”

Adrian began Active QT in 2009 with just one running series and has since created many unique sporting events across the country including triathlons, trail runs, mountain runs, and multisport events.

The first stage of Homestead Bay, featuring desirable north-facing lifestyle blocks of up to 2.49ha in an area called The Peaks, is nearly sold out with just two remaining.

Future plans for the stunning property include 240 new freehold homes, up to 400 apartments, hotel rooms and terraced houses supported by local amenities. There are also plans for a marina alongside the village area to offer a ferry service into Queenstown.

Homestead Bay is located just 15 minutes from Frankton.

Registrations for the Homestead Bay Run are open today: https://www.activeqt.co.nz/event/homestead-bay-run/

Entry prices range between $15 and $95 depending on age and number of events entered. Free entry for children between children under the age of 10.

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Holiday Inn Express opens first NZ hotel in Queenstown

by July 07, 2020

Holiday Inn Express opens first NZ hotel in Queenstown

Pro-invest Group is set to launch its first hotel in New Zealand with its doors opening to guests in Queenstown for school holidays and the start of the ski season.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown is a 227-room hotel, on the corner of Stanley and Sydney Streets in Queenstown’s centre. It officially opens to guests on Friday 10 July.

The hotel opening is being seen as a massive ‘shot in the arm’ for the beleaguered Queenstown tourism industry and a mark of faith in the resurgence of domestic and future international visitors.

The hotel’s room offering includes spacious suites – a Holiday Inn Express ‘first’ in New Zealand and Australia – in addition to superior rooms, which provide breathtaking views of Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables mountain range.

Ronald Barrott, Pro-invest Group Chief Executive Officer, said the Group was excited to launch a new product at its first New Zealand property and expected strong demand.

“We are committed to expanding the Holiday Inn Express brand in New Zealand and we’re confident that Queenstown’s reputation as premier destination makes it the ideal place to start,” he said.

“Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown has a stylish vibe, complete with an outdoor lounge with firepit. It’s also equipped with the smart, simple rooms, and features business and leisure travellers know and love.

“With school holidays approaching, the ski season underway and New Zealand’s COVID-19 travel restrictions lifted, we are anticipating that Queenstown and our latest hotel will be a popular destination for many holidaymakers.

“It provides easy access to popular ski destinations of Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Cardrona and Treble Cone, while popular tourist attractions such as the Skyline gondola and the town’s dining precinct are on your doorstep. Queenstown is the home of adventure and also the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Milford Sound.

“The hotel’s location will also appeal to corporate and business travellers and makes for an ideal events and convention venue, as it’s only a short distance from the CBD.

“We are pleased to contribute to Queenstown’s vibrancy with another high-quality hotel offering.”

The hotel is equipped with all the features the Holiday Inn Express brand has become renowned for including an Express Start breakfast, power showers, black-out blinds, high-quality bedding with a choice of pillows and uncapped Wi-Fi.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown also features a fitness room, sauna, two flexible meeting rooms, self-serve laundry, dry room, onsite parking and a free business centre.

The hotel’s architecture – designed by local architectural practice McAuliffe Stevens (MSRA) – combines abstract elements representing ice and erratic rock forms to pay homage to the hotel’s landscape history and achieve a design that fits with the surrounding urban environment.

The hotel’s General Manager, Jason Sabin, said his team was looking forward to showcasing what smart, simple travel is all about.

“Our rooms provide all the quality conveniences that make you feel at home, even when you’re away,” he said.

“We are proud of our sustainability-focused facilities and initiatives, such as the carpets throughout the building which are made from recycled fishing nets.”

Mr Barrott also highlighted other initiatives.

“From a design perspective for instance, all air leaving the hotel passes through a heat recovery plant. This extracts the energy from air coming from the hotel’s bathrooms and other areas and transfers that energy, whether it’s heat in winter or cooling in summer, to the incoming fresh air. The results are a substantial reduction in energy used to pre-treat the incoming air for the hotel ventilation,” he said.

“We are also excited to continue rolling out IHG’s flagship sustainability initiative, A Greener Stay, which Pro-invest in collaboration with IHG introduced to the APAC region back in 2017.  A Greener Stay allows guests to take part in conserving the environment through opt out of housekeeping services should they stay two or more nights, resulting in energy and water savings. As an added reward, guests who choose the opt-out receive up to 500 IHG Rewards Club points per night.

“As a group, Pro-invest is committed to developing, operating and managing its hotel portfolio in a sustainable manner and continuously improve on its ESG strategies wherever feasible.

“We look forward to welcoming locals looking for a staycation, travelers exploring the region from all over New Zealand and – circumstances permitting – from overseas very shortly.”

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown is the first and only hotel under the Holiday Inn Express brand in New Zealand to date. It is the sixth Holiday Inn Express property since 2016 to be opened by Pro-invest Group, following the launch of Sydney Macquarie Park, Brisbane, Adelaide, Newcastle and Melbourne Southbank hotels in Australia.

Pro-invest Group has plans for additional New Zealand properties.

“We have acquired a prime site in Auckland on the North Island to help continue the Group’s international growth in the coming years,” Mr Barrott said.

“This site will become New Zealand’s second Holiday Inn Express hotel and Pro-invest and New Zealand’s first voco hotel in 2021.”

The voco Hotels brand is a lifestyle-orientated brand by the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

Pro-invest Group develops and operates Holiday Inn Express and voco hotels in Australia and New Zealand under a franchise agreement with IHG.

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Crowne Plaza Queenstown rolls out red carpet to welcome first conference business post COVID-19

by June 22, 2020

Queenstown’s premium place to meet, Crowne Plaza Queenstown, has opened its doors earlier than anticipated and is rolling out the red carpet to welcome its first conference post COVID-19.

Queenstown’s premium place to meet, Crowne Plaza Queenstown, has opened its doors earlier than anticipated and is rolling out the red carpet to welcome its first conference post COVID-19.

The iconic lakefront hotel was originally scheduled to re-open in July to welcome domestic travellers for the school holidays and ski season. Instead it opened yesterday (Wednesday June 17) to welcome a conference group from The Icehouse business growth and development company in Auckland.

Business leaders attending the conference from June 18 to 20 all operate businesses turning over $3million-plus, and after completing management programmes with The Icehouse are visiting Queenstown as part of an Owner Manager Exchange (OMX) program.

The Icehouse Customer Relationship Manager Raewyn Goodwin says there was “no better place than Queenstown” for business owners to take a helicopter view of their business and assess growth opportunities in the wake of COVID-19.

“They own and operate businesses that are the backbone of the New Zealand economy so we’re delighted to bring them to Queenstown and support the town,” she says.

Crowne Plaza Queenstown General Manager Stewart Manson says the hotel also made the best a tough situation, using its temporary closure as an opportunity to refresh its conference rooms and carry out a ‘soft touch’ update to its premium Lakeview Rooms. It has also introduced enhanced cleaning and operating protocols under its new IHG Clean Promise in guest rooms.

“Conference and events are key segments for the business mix of the hotel, and we’re delighted to have had the opportunity to open a little earlier than expected to welcome this group,” he says.

“Although recovery from COVID will certainly take a while, this is a positive indicator that there’s demand for meetings.

“A number of new and repeat customers have already confirmed events for later in the year. This is great not just for Crowne Plaza, but other hospitality and accommodation providers in the region.”

Queenstown Chamber of Commerce chair Craig Douglas welcomed the news.

“Queenstown’s home to a vibrant mix of innovative and resilient businesses, and while we recognise we’re on a long road to recovery, we’re happy to celebrate milestones like this.”

Tourism body Destination Queenstown, which last year generated approximately $47million-worth of leads for Queenstown through its own conference and incentive bureau activity, is also delighted with the news.

“Queenstown is a world-class destination for business events, and it’s fantastic to see the recovery begin in this sector,” says interim chief executive Ann Lockhart.

“Conferences, incentive programmes and other business events will play an important role in our district’s recovery.”

ENDS

Picture captions:

1/ Conference facilitator Professor Darl Kolb (L) and Crowne Plaza Queenstown GM Stewart Manson, today at Crowne Plaza Queenstown

2/ Crowne Plaza Queenstown is in the heart of Queenstown on the shores of Lake Wakatipu

For more media information or imagery please contact:

Fiona Woodham
Southern PR
M: 0274 313 270
E: [email protected]

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Beyond Belief – Fiordland targets domestic visitors with call to experience their own backyard

by June 08, 2020

While tourism businesses scramble to adapt to the domestic market in the wake of Covid-19, Fiordland’s regional tourism organisation could argue its one step ahead of them all.

While tourism businesses scramble to adapt to the domestic market in the wake of Covid-19, Fiordland’s regional tourism organisation could argue its one step ahead of them all.

Destination Fiordland has always been justifiably proud of its operators and attractions in the lakeside townships of Te Anau and Manapouri, and the raw majesty of Fiordland National Park’s glacier-carved fiords and rugged mountains.

But with many visitors starting and finishing their Fiordland adventures in Queenstown, making a quick pit-stop in Te Anau, the tourism organisation embarked on a brand refresh in October last year.

The goal? To shout loud and clear from those mountaintops that Fiordland exemplifies all that’s good about New Zealand and is a destination in its own right, where locals value their visitors and ‘walk the talk’ about maintaining the world-class natural environment for generations to come.

The new brand ‘Fiordland – Beyond Belief’ was revealed to operators this week, setting out to target domestic travelers from day one and positioning Te Anau as ‘base camp’, while opening the eyes of international visitors to the fact there’s so much more to Fiordland than Milford Sound.

“The launch of our new brand comes at a challenging time, where fortune favours the bold,” says Destination Fiordland manager Madeleine Peacock. “Our challenge was to find a positioning that reflects all this majesty and helps drive visitation by making Fiordland a unique, inspiring, authentic and unmissable part of Aotearoa New Zealand, a place worth visiting.

“Fiordland is a must-see for international visitors but even last year we could see the untapped potential of domestic visitors. We clearly have a job to do at home, and this is a great start.”

Ms Peacock says ‘Fiordland – Beyond Belief’ conveys the scale, grandeur and mind-blowing nature of the area, and applies to everything on offer from the people who call Fiordland ‘home’  to the quality of experiences, accommodation and food, and a deep sense of connection with the environment .

“Our research has identified Kiwis desire to connect with nature, looking for real world experiences in their backyard, connecting with natural environments and ensuring those environments will be protected for generations to come – it’s about who we are as Kiwis.

“Doubtful and Dusky Sounds, the Great Walks and Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri have to an extent been hiding in the shadow of Milford Sound, however these areas are equally as impressive.”

Kerri James, owner operator of award-winning five-star accommodation provider Radfords On The Lake, says she’s “absolutely delighted” with the new brand.

“People down this way epitomise Southern hospitality, and ‘beyond belief’ is the perfect fit to describe Fiordland and everything we have to offer,” she says.

Fiordland Outdoors owner operator Christine Wallace says the brand is in “perfect synergy” with the high-value experience that Fiordland offers.

“The brand communicates a premium location and offering that’s very much in sync with what we do here. It’s very timely when all regions around New Zealand are being considered by domestic travelers,” she says.

Jodi Williams, Air New Zealand’s General Manager Global Brand and Content Marketing, says Air New Zealand has a special connection with Fiordland through its work with DOC to bring back birdsong on the Great Walks, three of which are located in Fiordland.

“Fiordland Beyond Belief helps position Fiordland as a world-class destination, famous for its majestic scenery, and has inspired me to visit this unique and special part of New Zealand,” she says.

Operators are currently being encouraged to incorporate the ‘Beyond Belief’ brand and associated imagery into their marketing and a new website is expected to launch within the next two months.

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Adventure Tourism Operator, Experience Co., Inks Cross-Tasman Deal with IBIS Technology

by June 08, 2020

In a signal of confidence in the post COVID-19 recovery of the tourism sector, Experience Co. Ltd (ASX:Exp) announced today it has selected Queenstown-based IBIS Technology as its tourism business systems software provider for the company’s skydiving operations in both New Zealand and Australia.

The new relationship marks IBIS Technology’s first major reservations, operations and e-commerce software customer overseas.

Experience Co. is New Zealand and Australia’s leading Skydive operator with three skydiving businesses in NZ’s Southern Lakes region, including the world renowned NZONE Skydive, Skydive Southern Alps and Skydive Wanaka.

The company also offers tandem skydiving in 13 locations in Australia and several marine based operations in Far North Queensland.

John O’Sullivan, CEO of publicly-traded Experience Co seeks to ensure the company emerges from COVID-19 stronger than ever.

“Now is the time to reconsider how we are operating our businesses to both streamline operations and improve the holistic experience of the customer with our brands,” he said.

“After a thorough review of tourism business operations systems available in our markets, we chose IBIS because of its integrated ‘whole business’ functionality and 22 years of committed customer support. The IBIS team has deep knowledge of the skydiving and tourism industry and they’re very passionate about that. I look forward to working together as partners with IBIS to help us rebuild New Zealand and Australian adventure tourism in a way that strengthens both our business and the customer experience.”

Founder and CTO of IBIS Erik Bradshaw commented, “We’re excited about the opportunity to work with the brilliant team at Experience Co., both here in NZ and as one of Australia’s largest tourism businesses.”

Bradshaw continued, “IT systems are a mission-critical part of our customers’ success. Recognising this, IBIS has taken a financially conservative approach to managing our own business so that we can be a solid partner to Experience Co. and other customers in these challenging times.

Coming out of the COVID-19 crisis, our goal is to provide tourism and leisure operators the flexibility and tools to respond nimbly to changes in market conditions, from unexpected downturns to re-thinking pricing, scheduling, product offerings and partners.”

Experience Co. will implement IBIS systems this winter, giving staff time to ‘settle in’ before the tourism visitor numbers begin to climb to their new normal.

IBIS Technology has been designing tourism business management solutions for the New Zealand tourism industry since 1998.

Fully NZ-owned and operated, the company has grown from its early start in reservations software to offering an integrated platform for online and direct reservations, admissions, point-of-sale, e-commerce, accounts management and reporting for tourism and leisure businesses large and small.

As the leading tourism business management software company in New Zealand, IBIS focuses on partnering with its clients to ensure that its software and services add value, improving both business and customer experience results.

Experience Co. is an adventure tourism company founded in 1999 in Wollongong, New South Wales, with the vision of now becoming the largest and most respected adventure tourism company in the world.

In Australia, Experience Co. owns and operates Skydive Australia along with several marine and tour businesses operating in Far North Queensland, while in New Zealand they run NZONE Skydive, Skydive Wanaka and Skydive Southern Alps.

 

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‘Koha for kiwi’ – Queenstown’s Kiwi Birdlife Park appeals for visitors

by May 28, 2020

‘Koha for kiwi’ – Queenstown’s Kiwi Birdlife Park appeals for visitors

Queenstown’s Kiwi Birdlife Park usually attracts thousands of visitors every year, and is recognised nationwide for its conservation success stories.

And now it needs New Zealand’s help.

After 34 years of operation, and with the same family at the helm, its international visitor numbers have dried up. Like many others it is targeting its domestic and local markets with great deals and packages to help keep the doors open and wildlife programmes running.

And for the month of June it’s launching an innovative ‘Koha for kiwi’ programme to help raise awareness and keep the wolf from the door.

The Kiwi Birdlife Park is a national treasure — it holds and displays over 23 species of native wildlife as part of nationally-managed programmes, takes part in a number of breed-for-release programmes, and has planted over 18,000 native plants providing essential food and shelter to wild native birds.

Park owner and director Paul Wilson says he is “painfully aware” that tourist numbers will be “very, very low” in the coming months.

“While it’s scary to open the gates for koha donations only in June, we recognise that we need to raise awareness of who we are and what we do with New Zealanders who’re being encouraged to explore their own backyard. We have a product that we are very proud of and this is a great opportunity to share it with as many Kiwis as possible.

“We’re not a government funded facility and are completely reliant on visitors and souvenir sales to fund our conservation efforts, while providing the highest level of care for our endangered native wildlife.

“A few months ago we completed a $1million state-of-the-art new kiwi house but partially because of the Covid situation we’re struggling to get the revenue we need to pay for a significant part of the building cost.

“We visited every kiwi house in the country to make sure we built the best, and now have the largest kiwidisplay house of any Park in the country. Four of our kiwi are scheduled to be released into the wild over the next few months, but we keep some breeding pairs to add to this vital programme.”

The park is the first New Zealand facility accredited by Australasia’s Zoo and Aquarium Association for providing ‘positive animal welfare’.

KIWI BIRDLIFE PARK HISTORY

Nearly forty years ago, a Queenstown-based garage owner had an unlikely ‘vision’ – to build the resort town’s first birdlife and conservation park on an overgrown piece of wasteland.

Invercargill-born Dick Wilson and his wife Noeleen moved to Queenstown in the 1950s and opened their first garage and shop in Frankton. Twenty years later, Dick, a remarkable visionary, realised customers were asking where they could see New Zealand’s famous icon the kiwi.

An animal lover who was passionate about nature and native wildlife, he knew a piece of land was being used as a dumping site for old cars and rubbish on the edge of town. He applied to the Lake County Council to lease the land and was granted the lease for the land and use of a natural spring in the early 1980s. He was 57 years old when his dream project was given the green light.

After removing several tonnes of rubbish, fencing the entire area, clearing 2m-high blackberry and broom canes, building ponds and removing about  100 huge pine trees, Dick and son Paul built aviaries, the first Kiwi house and a ticket office, planting 10,000 native trees.

They contacted the New Zealand Wildlife Service (now Department of Conservation) to see how they could go about sourcing some birds, and two long and hard years later officially opened for business on January 13th1986. The park is still owned by Paul Wilson and his wife Sandra.

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Local Charities set to benefit from Rotary Relationship

by May 13, 2020

Local Charities set to benefit from Rotary Relationship

Four local charities are set to benefit from the Rotary Club of Queenstown’s relationship with the New Zealand Open which was held earlier this year.

For the 101st New Zealand Open held in late February this year, the Rotary Club of Queenstown stepped up their involvement with the tournament to manage car parking across both Millbrook Resort and The Hills for all four days of the tournament.

In return, the tournament donated the proceeds from the Car Parking to the Rotary Club to distribute amongst the local community.

Tournament Chairman John Hart couldn’t be more pleased to see the money collected will be going to help locals in the Queenstown and Central Otago region.

“We love working with the Rotary Club of Queenstown, they are a great group of volunteers to donate their time to help others”

“We were more than happy to extend our relationship with the Rotary Club and give them an opportunity to raise funds for these local charities” said Hart.

The Rotary Club of Queenstown has earmarked the funds raised from the 2020 New Zealand Open to be distributed between the Rural Education Activities Programme, Queenstown Harvest Gardens, Hospice Southland – Queenstown Palliative Nurse and the Wakatipu Youth Trust.

Chris Taylor, Club Secretary of the Rotary Club of Queenstown believes that the New Zealand Open is a huge asset to the local community and loves being apart of the international event.

“Apart from generating business locally, for both small and large business operators, it generates a significant sense of community spirit as evidenced by the large number of locals who give their time voluntarily to assist with the events success”

“Queenstown Rotary Club members make up only a small part of the tournaments volunteer army which help provide a significant opportunity to market Queenstown and its environment internationally” said Taylor.

The Rotary Internationals motto is “Service Above Self”.  Its members gain satisfaction from serving their community in areas where it is needed most. In doing so, they develop a spirit of camaraderie and comradeship which permeates the club.

“The symbiotic relationship between the New Zealand Open and the Rotary Club of Queenstown provides the tournament with assistance while at the same time the Rotary Club is assisted in achieving its objectives in providing both financial and physical assistance to the community where it is most needed“ said Taylor.

The intention is for funds raised at the 2020 New Zealand Open is to assist less advantaged individuals/groups in the local Wakatipu community. More information on the local charities who are set to benefit from this year’s tournament as well as the Rotary Club of Queenstown can be found below.

Rotary Club of Queenstown: queenstownrotary.co.nz
Rural Education Activities Programme:  southernreap.co.nz
Queenstown Harvest Gardens: harvestgardens.nz
Hospice Southland – Queenstown Palliative Nurse: hospicesouthland.org.nz
Wakatipu Youth Trust: wakatipuyouthtrust.co.nz

 

CONTACT: Mike Hadnett – [email protected] +64275493222

Follow the New Zealand Open:

nzopen.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

About the 102nd New Zealand Open

The tournament is one of New Zealand’s leading sporting events with a long and prestigious history. It was founded in 1907 and will be played for the 102nd time between 25 and 28 March 2021.

The tournament is a co-sanctioned event on the PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour schedules and also has a partnership agreement with the Japan Golf Tour

A professional field of 152 players will play the first two rounds alternately at Millbrook Resort and The Hills before the second round cut of 60 plus ties. The final two rounds will be played at Millbrook.

The New Zealand Open Champion will be the leading player after 72 holes of strokeplay

The tournament also hosts 152 amateur players, each partnering with a Professional in a two-man best-ball event, competing for the NZ Pro-Am Championship.

About the PGA Tour of Australasia

As one of the leading Professional golf tours worldwide, the PGA Tour of Australasia is the elite tournament destination for Professional golf in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

All tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia carry Official World Golf Ranking points. The PGA of Australia sanctions around 300 tournaments across the Australasia region offering a total prize pool in excess of AU $12 million.

The PGA Tour of Australasia is a founding member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The International Federation is responsible for generating funds for the worldwide development and expansion of the game and the management and sanctioning of prestigious tournaments including the World Golf Championships and the World Cup of Golf.

Also, visit us at: pga.org.au | Facebook | Twitter

 About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of professional golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game.

The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. The Tour is officially recognised by the Official World Golf Rankings and provides its events with valuable ranking points for participants to be recognised on the world stage.

Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), Titleist (Official Web Partner), FootJoy (Supplier), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore, Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur. The Tour is an affiliate of The R&A.

Also, visit us at: asiantour.com | Facebook | Twitter

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Queenstown Excited To Welcome Visitors Again

by May 12, 2020

Queenstown Excited To Welcome Visitors Again

In two recent NZ polls Queenstown has ranked the first choice of destination Kiwis are planning to visit once travel restrictions lift. It’s a great acknowledgement from people across New Zealand that Queenstown is an inspirational destination that they are keen to visit again.

The announcement yesterday that NZ will move to Alert Level 2 on Thursday has been met with delight in Queenstown, with operators in the Southern Hemisphere’s premier holiday destination excited to welcome visitors again and get back to business.

Regional tourism organisation, Destination Queenstown, says the announcement is hugely important and provides a pathway to recovery for tourism operators moving into the vital winter season.

Destination Queenstown interim CEO, Ann Lockhart, says tourism operators are keen to get back to doing what they do best – inviting visitors to share our culture and spectacular part of the country.

“The announcement today will provide some relief for businesses in Queenstown following many weeks of uncertainty. Tourism operators will now be looking at how the rules apply to them, how they can safely operate under alert level 2 and making any adaptations to do so. While this isn’t a total panacea it is a good step in the right direction. DQ will be working with businesses this week to understand their plans and identify any support they may need access to,’’ Ms Lockhart said.

“We are certain that our world leading tourism operators are well equipped to meet requirements to deliver great experiences, in a safe environment. We are excited our ski fields are able to operate, our hospitality sector will be looking forward to serving visitors again soon, and many of our activities will be able to make the guidelines work.”

The return of commercial air services to Queenstown will also go a long way toward getting the Queenstown community back on its feet.

Destination Queenstown (DQ) has developed a framework of marketing activity in response to Covid-19. The approach has three stages; local, regional and domestic and aims to tell our story from the inside out, celebrating our culture and our diversity.

The first campaign, #WeAreQueenstown, launched two weeks ago has centred on the local community. The marketing campaign not only encourages support for local businesses, but aims to inspire community spirit and pride, reminding locals why they choose to call Queenstown home.

DQ began ramping up winter marketing activity last week, following announcement of the inclusion of domestic travel in level 2. This will culminate with the launch of a new winter marketing campaign, targeting the domestic market, on 1 June. The campaign will be a celebration of being back in the outdoors, exploring, discovering and spending time with friends – some true Kiwi favourites.

DQ is also underway with research to get a wider understanding of the domestic market. The work will provide insights to both inform DQ marketing investment and activity but also to deliver key insights for DQ members.

Ms Lockhart says the RTO is keen to unlock the lockdown wanderlust and invite New Zealanders to enjoy our great outdoors, our vibrant town, exceptional dining and iconic activities.

“Queenstown’s world-class activities and outstanding natural beauty have earned Queenstown a collection of accolades over the years and now is the perfect time for Kiwis to experience why.”

New Zealanders have always played an important role in Queenstown’s visitation. Kiwis coming to Queenstown have historically made up a third of all visitors.

This was created by Destination Queenstown and first published on Scoop.

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Media Training Key To Successful Communications

by May 11, 2020

Media Training Key To Successful Communications

By Fiona Woodham

Business leaders right now are finding themselves in the spotlight, often (especially if they’re in tourism) in the tricky position of having to rationalise or justify business closures or staff redundancies.

If they’re a business entrepreneur, start-up or have successfully ‘pivoted’ their business to provide goods or services that people need or want right now, it’s a golden opportunity to build or enhance their personal or business brand.

The team at Southern PR’s known for its comprehensive Media Training, based on over 25 years in the PR industry in NZ and over a decade in journalism for national UK & NZ newspapers.

So – media interviews can be intense. But if you’re prepared, keep calm and have some key ‘pivot’ techniques in your pocket, you’ll be ready for whatever comes your way.

  • DO YOUR HOMEWORK – Know what you want to say, why and how. Work out your key messages, and practice saying them out loud. Believe me, it helps.
  • RELAX – Take a deep breath, drink a glass of water before you start. Think about what you’re wearing, how you look, and what’s in the background. Put your best face forward.
  • THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK – Don’t be rushed, take a second to pause before answering a question. Keep responses short, on topic and you’re less likely to get ‘lost’ (and lose your listener in the process). Talk in soundbites.
  • TALK LIKE A POLITICIAN – Hmmm, maybe some more than others! If you’re asked a question that’s going off topic, is challenging, or going down a route you don’t want to go down, use the bridging technique. For example:  “I don’t have those specific details, what I can say is…” and get back on message.
  • CORRECT YOURSELF – Sometimes something comes out of your mouth and you know straight away it’s not right. Never be afraid to say “I’m sorry, can I correct that?”
  • CORRECT THE INTERVIEWER – if they get something wrong, be firm but clear. Use a bridging technique to get back on message such as: “That’s not correct, the facts are…”
  • DON’T REPEAT NEGATIVES – a common enough mistake. For example, if a question asks if your company is lying, don’t repeat the word “lying” in your response unless you want it to be part of your soundbite. Start with: “The facts are…” then transition to your message.
  • HIGHLIGHT YOUR KEY MESSAGE – literally. You get full attention when you say something like “The key thing here is…”
  • SPEAK UP AND SHUT UP – Do not, what ever you do, fill in the silence between questions. Invariably this will end up being the headline, the moment at which you lost the plot and said something that wandered off topic. Answer the question, keep on message, wait for the next question. Easy.

If you’d like to know more or enquire about full media training and PR services, email [email protected]

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TOP MEDIA TRAINING TIPS

by May 06, 2020

TOP MEDIA TRAINING TIPS By Fiona Woodham Business leaders right now are finding themselves in the spotlight, often (especially if they’re in tourism) in the tricky position of having to rationalise or justify business closures or staff redundancies. If they’re a business entrepreneur, start-up or have successfully ‘pivoted’ their business to provide goods or services…

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