Seven Tourism New Zealand staff experienced the West Coast firsthand on a famil from Wānaka to Hokitika.
This visit was a fantastic opportunity for TNZ to connect with tourism operators and gain deeper insights into what makes the Coast an unforgettable destination. The famil visit equipped these TNZ staff with better knowledge of the West Coast which will allow them to encourage more opportunities to come our way.
Their journey kicked off with the spectacular Haast River Safari, where they explored the dramatic UNESCO World Heritage landscapes of the Haast region. The group tucked into lunch at The Hard Antler before continuing north, stopping at Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge for a site visit along the way. A soak at Waiho Hot Tubs was a relaxing way to finish the day before spending the night at Te Waonui Forest Retreat.
The following morning, the group started their day at the West Coast Wildlife Centre, getting up close with rare native species like the rowi kiwi and tuatara. A site inspection at Westwood Lodge followed before they headed to Lake Mapourika to visit Franz Josef Wilderness Tours.
From there, they continued north to Ōkārito to visit Ōkārito Kayaks and Ōkārito Eco Boat Tours for product updates. Their trip wrapped up at the West Coast Treetop Walkway & Zipline.
This famil was experienced by TNZ staff from the United States, UK, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.