Air New Zealand revises international network

Air New Zealand will not resume operation of its suspended Auckland-Buenos Aires and Los Angeles-London routes due to the deep impact of COVID-19 on forward travel demand.

The airline has also taken the decision to postpone the commencement of its non-stop Auckland-New York service from 29 October 2020 until late 2021 at the earliest.

Along with 95 percent of its international flying, Air New Zealand’s Buenos Aires and Los Angeles-London routes are currently suspended through to 30 June due to government travel bans and low demand.

Last year, the airline announced its plan to exit the Los Angeles-London route in October 2020 and in March brought forward the closure of its London cabin crew base.

Air New Zealand Chief Networks, Strategy and Alliances Officer Nick Judd says demand for international travel has been tracking at about five percent of pre-COVID-19 levels into June.

“It’s deeply disappointing to be in this position. Our people have worked tenaciously over the years to build these markets and excitement was growing for our non-stop New York flight.

“However, the effects of COVID-19 continue to bite; we expect most countries to take a cautious approach to international travel in the next year and we have to be pragmatic.

“Government travel restrictions will continue for some time and demand for our Los Angeles-London service is unlikely to recover before our planned exit in October. Argentina has been challenging before the pandemic and we don’t expect this market to recover quickly.”

Air New Zealand is currently operating a limited international network through to 30 June to keep air links open for essential travel and cargo movement on key trade routes. Total capacity has been reduced to 95 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels and demand will be reviewed on a route-by-route basis before services are resumed.

The airline’s customer care team and contact centre are supporting those affected by these changes and customers will be contacted with options in coming days. Customers booked via a travel agent, including a third-party website (e.g. Expedia, Booking.com) should speak with their agent. Air New Zealand’s dedicated COVID-19 information hub is being updated continuously and customers should check this first, before calling the airline’s contact centre.

Prior to COVID-19, Air New Zealand operated a daily service between Los Angeles and London and up to five times weekly from Auckland to Buenos Aires.

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Issued by Air New Zealand Communications.

Email: media@airnz.co.nz  │  Phone: +64 21 747 320  │  Twitter: @AirNZMedia

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Based in Queenstown since the mid ‘90s, our roots are firmly in Aotearoa and we proudly promote our New Zealandness to all our guests, wherever they travel with us.  We’re extremely proud of our expert team of Kiwi guides, and our guests consistently rave about their authenticity, knowledge, expertise and Kiwi hospitality.   We have over 18,000 excellent reviews, and we rate 4.9 on Trustpilot. To extend our reach to the North American adventure market, our sister company, Austin Adventures, champions all our adventure tours, enticing travellers to indulge in transformative journeys of Aotearoa New Zealand and the wider world.

Conference 2020 postponed and 2021 event announced

Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TECNZ) has announced the postponement of their annual TECNZ member conference which was due to take place in Taranaki during August this year.

TECNZ Chief Executive Lynda Keene says the risks involved with the COVID-19 event has created the decision to postpone the TECNZ Conference until 2021.  It was scheduled for 12 and 13 August 2020.

‘We are in an unfortunate position where we have to postpone our annual event, it is disappointing to make this decision”.

However, with this announcement we are pleased to confirm Taranaki will continue as TECNZ’s annual Conference region, where members will be able to connect and shake hands in July or August 2021.

It will be an additional cause for celebration as its TECNZ’s 50^th Conference anniversary in 2021 and the last time we held the conference in New Plymouth was in 1999.

Ms Keene says ‘the year 2021 will be an exciting year for TECNZ as we celebrate our 50^th Anniversary supporting the inbound tour sector since 1971. We look forward to celebrating the achievements with you all’.

TECNZ tourism conference is hosted in a New Zealand region each year and offers about 250 delegates a plethora of compelling speakers and networking opportunities.

“Over the last 20 years, Taranaki’s tourism attractions and activities have evolved significantly.  In recent years the region has developed an array of products and experiences that TECNZ is looking forward to highlighting says Ms Keene.”

Justine Gilliland, CEO Venture Taranaki says “Venture Taranaki is very pleased to be able to support the TECNZ 50^th anniversary conference in 2021.  We look forward to the Conference showcasing both the amazing destination Taranaki offers, and what ‘reimagined’, regenerative tourism looks like for New Zealand.”

The TECNZ Xmas Symposium is confirmed on the calendar for Wednesday 9 December in Auckland.

ENDS 

About the Tourism Export Council of New Zealand

The Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TECNZ) is a trade association that represents the interests of the inbound tourism industry since 1971.  Its membership includes inbound tour operators (Inbound Members) and attraction, activity, accommodation, transport suppliers, regional tourism organisations and tourism services providers (Allied Members). TECNZ members collectively handle most of New Zealand’s international visitor arrivals. www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz.

For more information please contact:

Waitakere Resort & Spa welcomes new GM

Duncan Mackenzie has been appointed as the new General Manager at Waitakere Resort & Spa and will take over the reins from long-term Managing Director and owner Reg Nevill-Jackson on April 1st.

Waitakere Resort & Spa which has recently rebranded, is nestled in the Waitakere Ranges and is a short drive from Auckland city. The family owned property is managed by New Zealand owned company, Capstone Hotels & Resorts.
Duncan has an extensive hotel background most recently fulfilling the role of General Manager at Heritage Hanmer Springs. His New Zealand hotel experience ranges across most aspects of hotel operations, experience which Capstone Hotels’ Managing Director Clare Davies believes will stand him in good stead. “Waitakere Resort & Spa is a boutique 26 room property with a strong conference market as well as leisure and local focus. It’s the kind of property which requires a hands-on management approach and we are delighted to have Duncan’s depth of experience and enthusiasm on board to help us drive the hotel to the next level”.

Nevill-Jackson continues to own the property along with his family and will be stepping back after 24 years at the helm.

Capstone Hotels & Resorts work with 14 properties located throughout New Zealand along with a number of activity operators.

Media enquiries:
Clare Davies – 027 447 6386

Air New Zealand updates domestic network for Alert Level 3

Air New Zealand is adjusting its domestic network with New Zealand to enter Alert Level 3 next week.

The airline will operate a limited domestic schedule from Tuesday 28 April to enable essential travel only and to keep air freight moving.

The airline’s domestic schedule while the country is at Alert Level 3 is as follows –

Air New Zealand General Manager Networks Scott Carr says travel remains very restricted under Alert Level 3.

“We have made some slight adjustments to our domestic schedule in the coming weeks and that includes adding several services a week between Auckland and Napier and Auckland and Tauranga. We’ll also be adding additional capacity between Christchurch and Dunedin with flights in and out of Dunedin across the week.”

Before making a booking, customers are reminded to check the latest information on the travel and transportation section of the Government COVID-19 website and the COVID-19 hub on the Air New Zealand website.

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Issued by Air New Zealand Communications.

Email: media@airnz.co.nz  │  Phone: +64 21 747 320  │  Twitter: @AirNZMedia

NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL & EVENTS GROUP ACQUIRES EVENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Leisure Time Group, New Zealand, has purchased Auckland-based event management company; Lime & Soda.
The event management brand is the latest to join the group’s family of brands specialising in travel and events throughout New Zealand and Australia.

The Leisure Time Group operates five other brands including Leisure Time Tours; a New Zealand touring company with a travel club and its own fleet of motor coaches, Travel Time South Pacific; an Inbound Tour Operator creating quality ground arrangements for international wholesalers and travel agents, and Vokali; a Destination Management Company working with associations and corporate clients around the globe to create unforgettable event and incentive experiences.

Lime & Soda are a full-service creative event management company specialising in conferences, team building, corporate events, festivals, event styling, and event concepts.

The acquisition will strengthen Leisure Time Group’s events division and enable an even broader range of creative event offerings for their international and local clientele.

“Lime & Soda perfectly complements our overall events and M.I.C.E offerings enabling us to provide stronger and focussed resources for our event clients,” said Scott Mehrtens, Managing Director of Leisure Time Group.

“Our acquisition of Lime & Soda may appear to come at an unusual time with the country currently in COVID-19 lockdown, but we’ve been working on this for some time and while we’ve had to postpone some imminent events its really exciting to see the high level of enquiries we are receiving for events to be held later in the year.

“This investment adds to our capacity, geographic presence, dedicated events staff, and enables us to support increasing numbers of event and incentive enquiries and workload. I’m thrilled that Debra will be managing our events division, including our DMC brand; Vokali. Her longstanding experience in events and her strong creative flair is much appreciated by both our suppliers and clients.” Debra Dufty, previous business owner of Lime & Soda, will be joining Leisure Time Group and heading the Events/M.I.C.E team with immediate effect. Debra said she was excited to be joining forces with an outstanding, experienced and forward-thinking family-business. Debra said, “It’s very exciting to be working now as part of a larger team including experienced and passionate event and travel professionals. The strengths and knowledge within our team help us create and deliver fun and creative event solutions for our clients.”

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About Lime & Soda
Debra Dufty started the business in 2009 in Wellington, at that time trading as WATevents. The business relocated to Auckland eight years ago and in 2015 rebranded to Lime & Soda. The event management business focuses predominantly on corporate events such as conferences, meetings, roadshows, awards dinners, functions, theming, styling, team building, and public activations. They have an extensive client base and enjoy being known as a creative events company, working outside the box and defying the norm.

About Leisure Time Group
A family-owned events and travel business with a head office in Hamilton, Waikato and originally established in 1987 as Leisure Time Tours. Proud to have been providing inspirational and unforgettable experiences for over thirty years. In this time the business has grown significantly and is now represented by six quality travel and events brands.

For more information visit:

limeandsoda.co.nz/home

Media Contact:
Vicki Annison, Sales & Marketing Manager, Leisure Time Group
+64 27 443 5512 vicki @lttnz.co.nz

Air New Zealand updates domestic network

Air New Zealand is adjusting its domestic network with New Zealand now at Alert Level 4.

The airline will operate a limited domestic schedule from 3 April to enable essential travel only and to keep air freight moving. Overall, domestic capacity will reduce by 95 percent from pre-COVID-19 levels.

The airline’s domestic schedule while the country is at Alert Level 4 is as follows –

Air New Zealand Chief Revenue Officer Cam Wallace says the airline would usually fly more than 400 domestic flights daily prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Domestic travel is still an option but is extremely limited while New Zealand is at Alert Level 4 and we have updated our schedule to reflect this. In the coming weeks we will be operating a limited number of flights a day using our A320 jet aircraft, as well as our ATR and Q300 turboprop aircraft.

“Kiwis are respecting the Government’s essential travel only advice, however, we still ask customers to please check they qualify to travel under the essential services list before booking a ticket or going to the airport.”

Air New Zealand has also established a process whereby the airline will operate ad hoc domestic charter flights at the request of the New Zealand Government. These flights can be undertaken to all domestic airports within New Zealand within a matter of hours.

The airline has set up a dedicated COVID-19 information hub on its website and customers are encouraged to consult this in the first instance.

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Issued by Air New Zealand Communications.

Email: media@airnz.co.nz  │  Phone: +64 21 747 320  │  Twitter: @AirNZMedia

The lights have been dimmed on Queenstown’s LUMA 

The lights have been dimmed on Queenstown’s award-winning sensory experience LUMA.

Scheduled to return to the Queenstown Gardens for its fifth year of illuminated art, sculpture and performance on Queen’s Birthday Weekend, the LUMA team has made the heartbreaking decision to pull the plug on this year’s event.

The group of passionate individuals which make up the LUMA Light Festival Trust have spent the past ten months dreaming, planning, scheming and preparing for Queenstown’s award-winning arts and culture event.

LUMA Trust chairman Duncan Forsyth said they had been “crossing our fingers” that LUMA20 would be able to defy the Covid-19 odds and bring a ray of bright, colourful light to the start of June.

“Today the LUMA Light Festival Trust made the difficult decision to cancel for 2020 and focus our energy on looking after each other, our whanau, our businesses and the wider Queenstown community,” he said.

“This will enable us to return brighter than ever in 2021. It’s a huge blow to our family of artists, partners, fellow instigators and funders. We’d like to take this chance to sincerely thank everyone who’s been part of the LUMA story so far.

“This is the beginning of the next chapter and we aim to begin working on LUMA21 as soon as the time feels right for us and the wider community.”

Duncan said discussions were already underway with major funders to agree on a rollover plan for 2021.

“The government’s decision to impose restrictions on incoming visitors and more recently, to discourage large gatherings, is the right one and we fully support it. Every effort must be made to slow down the spread of the virus and give our health system a chance to minimise harm to all New Zealanders.

“We’re fortunate to live in a community which knows how to look after people and it’s our shared responsibility to care for one another and above all stay safe.”

For further media information or high res images please contact:

Mandy Cooper
E: mandy@southernpr.co.nz
M: 0273377907