In June, nine Inbound Tour Operators (IBOs) explored the northern area of the West Coast region as part of a targeted famil.
With a strong focus on Greymouth, Westport, Karamea, and Maruia, the itinerary highlighted the best of the Buller district while also venturing into some of the region’s more unique and off-the-beaten-track experiences. The primary goal was to expand the IBOs' product knowledge and ensure they felt confident and enthusiastic about selling West Coast tourism experiences to their clients.
The trip began in Christchurch with a welcome dinner hosted by ChristchurchNZ and an overnight stay at the Crowne Plaza Christchurch.
On day one, the group travelled via the TranzAlpine Train to Moana (Lake Brunner), where they visited Hotel Lake Brunner, Te Aka Treehouse, and Breakers Boutique Accommodation. The day concluded with a visit to the Paparoa Experience in Punakaiki, followed by dinner and an overnight stay at the Scenic Hotel Punakaiki.
Day two started with a walk along the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes Track. The group then experienced underworld rafting with Underworld Adventures, visited the Kawatiri Pounamu Pathway, and enjoyed a beer tasting at Shortjaw Brewery in Westport. Dinner was held at the Denniston Dog Restaurant, with accommodation at Bella Vista Motel Westport.
The following morning, after breakfast at The Nourish Nook, the IBOs cycled part of the Kawatiri Cycle Trail with Kiwi Journeys and visited the Tauranga Bay Seal Colony. Accommodation inspections included The Bay House Beachfront Accommodation and Gentle Annie Seaside Accommodation, with a stop for pie tasting from the West Coast Pie Company along the way. In Karamea, the group walked the Nikau Walk, sampled burgers from The Dutch Oven Bakery, and stayed overnight at The Last Resort.
On day four, after breakfast with local tourism operators in Karamea, the group explored the Honeycomb Hill Cave and the Oparara Arches with Oparara Guided Tours. They then travelled to Reefton to visit the Reefton Distillery and sample Little Biddy Gin. The evening concluded with an overnight stay at Maruia Hot Springs.
The famil wrapped up with a relaxing morning enjoying the sauna and hot baths at Maruia Hot Springs before the group departed from Christchurch International Airport.
This famil was experienced by agents from the below accounts:
Once Upon A Trip - New Zealand
Pan Pacific Travel - New Zealand
Abercrombie & Kent - Akorn DMC - New Zealand
New Zealand Fine Touring - New Zealand
FCM Travel - Australia
ATS Pacific / Hello World - New Zealand
Intrepid Travel - New Zealand
Adventure South - New Zealand
Travelcation Group - Australia