KUONI has expanded its coverage of New Zealand for next year, hoping to draw more business from interest in major events such as the millennium celebrations, Sydney 2000 Olympics and the America’s Cup in the capital Auckland.
New product covering both North and South Islands includes a series of short independent tour packages and two self-drive itineraries.
Mark Hanson, Kuoni product co-ordinator for Australia and New Zealand, said: “There is bound to be a lot of new interest in New Zealand and we are hoping to draw some Australia-bound clients across the Tasman Sea to combine some elements of both countries.
“We think the new independent coach and rail-based tours are ideal as New Zealand has a transport system that is easy to use, traffic is much lighter than in Australia and distances are not so immense.”
Two tours are offered from Auckland based around a combination of coach and rail services and overnight accommodation en route.
Destinations on the four-night trips include the Bay of Islands, Rotorua and Waitomo, as well as Auckland.
In the south there is a four-night Fjords and Glaciers itinerary and a five-night Southern Comforts tour, again both based on rail and coach travel.
The tours leave from Christchurch and take in areas such as Mount Cook, Queenstown, Dunedin and Milford Sound.
Breakfast and dinner is included in most itineraries and a sample price for the Southern Contrasts tour is £435 per person twinshare in medium-class class accommodation or £560 for first-class hotel.
The four-night Northern Delights package costs £384 and £396 respectively. Rates are year round.
Kuoni has also expanded its tailor-made flydrive options by offering two new pre-arranged self-drives of seven nights in the north and a nine-night ground package in the south.
These include a mixed meal plan, car, accommodation and sightseeing excursions. Prices for the North Island trip costing £798 based on four-star hotels.