Sulphur City wins acclaim
NY Times names Rotorua in its list of must-see places
New Zealand’s volcanic tourist hotspot Rotorua has been named in the prestigious New York Times’ Places to Visit list. The list, described as a “starter kit for seeing the world”, features Rotorua at number 45 — the only New Zealand destination to make the list.
Destination Rotorua chief executive Michelle Templer said it was fantastic to make the list, reinforcing Rotorua’s reputation as a world-class destination.
With a daily readership of more than 9 million people, and more than 220,000 following the New York Times Travel Facebook page, Templer said the exposure was “phenomenal recognition for the solid work that has been undertaken by the industry, Destination Rotorua, Rotorua Lakes Council and others”.
“This will open the eyes of a new sector of travellers who may not have previously considered Rotorua as a destination.”
The blurb talks about the sulphurous geysers and mineral-rich hot springs which “scent” Rotorua, a hub of Maori culture. It also highlights the Redwood Treewalk nightlights.
“Thirty dramatic lighting installations from the designer David Trubridge romance the majestic trees after dark.”
The New York Times received hundreds of submissions for the list from regular contributors, which were whittled down to 52.
It is the 13th year such a list has been compiled and this year, for the first time, a 52 Places Traveler has been selected to travel to every place on the list during the year.
Templer said the article tied in well with ongoing international activity to ensure Rotorua stayed top of mind with trade and international agents.
Rotorua is on track to meets its tourism target of $1.5 billion in visitor expenditure by 2030.
Rotorua deputy mayor Dave Donaldson was not surprised that the city featured.
“We have a long, proud history of tourism and manaakitanga (hospitality) with our strong culture and unique natural environment at the forefront.”
Tourism remained a cornerstone of the local economy and a lot had been invested in refreshing Rotorua’s offering and lifting its profile, he said.
“Rotorua is a place where you can be as active or passive as you like with waterways, forests, geothermal wonders, spas, a multitude of attractions and activities — that’s why people visit and why we live here.
“Signature events showcase the best of our destination, adding to exposure like this, and we have a lot of great ambassadors like cultural groups and homegrown sportspeople competing and performing on the world stage,” Donaldson said.
Redwoods Treewalk co-founder and director Bruce Thomasen said it was amazing recognition.
“The iconic local beauty of the Redwood forest . . . combined with the award-winning designer Trubridge lights . . . has proven to be a perfect formula. During the daytime the experience is about nature, at night it becomes magical.”