Australasia’s first Geopark

The spectacular Waitaki Whitestone Geopark on NZ’s South Island ( pictured) has been named as Australasia’s only UNESCO Geopark, joining just 195 other such designations in the world, of which only 19 are in the Southern Hemisphere.

The United Nations defines a Global Geopark as “a single, unified geographical area where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development”.

The accolade is set to further boost the region’s tourism, with UNESCO designation typically raising the profile of destinations and seeing visitors stay longer.

This week’s announcement is the culmination of many years of work by the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark and Vanished World, which saw the UNESCO Executive Board endorse the nomination during a session this month.

The Waitaki Whitestone Geopark Trust initially submitted its application to UNESCO in Nov

GF returns to Qatar

Gulf Air yesterday resumed non-stop flights from Bahrain to Doha for the first time since 2017. Initial daily A320 frequencies will increase to 21 weekly in Jun. 2019, with the pandemic delaying an evaluation mission which finally took place last year.

The move recognises the park’s outstanding geological and cultural heritage and its commitment to sustainable development, education and community engagement.

Trust Chair Helen Jansen said “we have always believed that this is a very special area, telling the story of the 8th continent”.

“Despite interruptions we kept the dream alive and kept working at it...it is the collective wisdom of many contributors over the years that has brought the Waitaki and NZ to this exciting and historic moment,” she said.

“We are making a significant contribution to the global understanding of the land and its cultures,” Jansen added.

The park covers about 7,200 square km near Te Waipounamu, with features including limestone cliffs, glacial valleys and fossils.

Yotel to Thailand

British hotel group Yotel has announced its first property in Thailand, with the 250-room Yotel Bangkok set to open in 2025 as part of Cloud 11, a newbuild mixed-used development “set to be a playground for Southeast Asia’s artists, makers and tech entrepreneurs”.