Top kiwi fashion designer Karen Walker lists men's clothing store, Wunderkammer in Auckland, Eichardts hotel in Queenstown and Auckland restaurant Dine by Peter Gordon as three of her top ten of the best of New Zealand, on a new website launching this month - www.newzeal-and.co.uk.
Radio 1 DJ Zane Low, Andy Cosgrove and Hamish Clark, the trio that form Anglo kiwi band, Break's Co-op, name another kiwi band Fat Freddy's Drop, Black Grace Dance Company and radio station 95bFM as some of their favourites, while London based New Zealand chef, Peter Gordon, puts Blake Street Expresso in Auckland, the Dowse Gallery in Lower Hutt and Toast Martinborough, a spectacular food and wine festival in the Wairarapa amongst his top ten. Strictly Come Dancing, Brendan Cole, puts Waiheke Island, known for its festivals, dance parties, wineries and art galleries, along with Auckland's Viaduct Basin with its reputation for some of Auckland's best restaurants and bars, as two of his favourite ten.
Backed by Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand, www.newzeal-and.co.uk will help young British travellers find out more about what the country has to offer in terms of city life, great food and drink, and contemporary arts and culture. New Zealand is rightly famed for its dramatic landscape and breathtaking scenery but the new website is hoping to raise the profile of its less well known urban culture.
As well as 'Top Ten Tips' from kiwi celebrities such as Karen Walker, Break's Co-op and Peter Gordon, the New Zeal AND website features a combination of interactive city guides as well as blogs on the latest trends and events in New Zealand and a Myspace profile allowing people to share the experiences of the country.
Barry Eddington from Tourism New Zealand, comments, "New Zealand is a young, innovative country populated with friendly, creative people. The natural environment is an essential part of what makes our country special but there is also a distinctively kiwi contemporary arts scene that is less recognised outside New Zealand. This new website helps visitors find out more about our people and culture, and where to go to discover it."
Scott Carr, Air New Zealand General Manager Europe, adds "We want to create talkability and buzz around the great contemporary culture that New Zealand has to offer. The Myspace profile is really exciting as it's the first time both organisations have worked with an online social networking community, which really adds to the dynamic nature of the main site and will be key in promoting the online competition which is also running on the site."
The online competition offers the chance to win a £5,000 Air New Zealand Holiday experience for the most inspiring photo, video or words about New Zealand.
ENDS
Media Contact:
Sarah Hopkins, Air New Zealand Communications Manager, Europe:
+ 44 (0)208 600 7657 or mobile + 44 (0) 7768 232 518,
Gillian Monahan, PR Manager, Tourism New Zealand 0207 389 0149 or
Grayling PR - Abby Richardson or Kate Woods on 0117 922 7799
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