OPERATORS are recommending a relaxing stopover in the South Pacific as the ideal partner to a lengthy touring holiday in New Zealand.
While New Zealand offers cosmopolitan cities, vast expanses of lush countryside and numerous opportunities for adventure, the South Pacific’s main drawcards are its beaches and hot climate.
Indeed, New Zealand itineraries usually range from 12 to 21 days and see clients packing in as much as they can, having flown half way round the globe to get to the destination. This should make it easy for agents to suggest tacking on a relaxing beach stay on the way home, according to Kuoni.
Product manager Jayne White said: “After a hefty coach tour of New Zealand, clients like to crash out on an exotic tropical beach for up to seven days. The South Pacific is now becoming as popular a stopover as the Far East.”
With a chain of 3,300 exotic paradise islands and a Polynesian lifestyle and culture going back 3,000 years, the South Pacific region is regarded as one of the last frontiers yet to be fully explored by leisure travellers.
Kuoni features tailor-made add-ons to the most popular islands including Fiji, which is about 3hrs flying time from New Zealand; Tahiti, which is about 5hrs away; and the Cook Islands; approximately 4hrs away.
For 2000, British Airways Holidays has introduced the Cook Islands and the French Polynesian islands of Moorea and Bora Bora to its Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific brochure.
Assistant programme manager Matt Brabner said: “Clients can stop off in the South Pacific before their tour and recover from jet lag. Then they have only a four-hour flight to New Zealand.”
While clients may perceive the South Pacific as an expensive, exotic destination, a stopover need not break the bank. “French Polynesia is quite pricey – we sell Moorea and Bora Bora from £63 per person a night – but a more affordable option is the Cook Islands from £36 a night,” said Brabner.
Besides accommodation, clients need to pay about £50 on top of the basic air fare to make the stop-over. Prices start at around £599 return with Air New Zealand if clients book by the end of March for outbound travel in May and June.
The airline offers a frequent service from Auckland to Fiji, the most popular destination, with at least one flight a day. There is a large seat capacity too, as the company operates Boeing 747s and 767s on the route. For the return journey to the UK there are two non-stop flights a week from Fiji to Los Angeles, which connect with daily services to London.
Stopover business should get a boost this year after Air New Zealand hosts its largest-ever fam trip for 160 agents to Fiji for a five-day workshop from May 7-11. Pre and post-tours will take agents to New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Tahiti, Samoa and Tonga.