Rough guide to the best of NZ

By CHRIS DANIELS tourism writer

Cultural tourists - those who want more than just a haka at a hotel, are being targeted with 165,000 mini-travel guides being distributed in Britain.

The Rough Guide to Maori New Zealand is a miniature-sized version of the publishing company's famous Rough Guide books.

The guide, to be launched at this week's tourist industry conference "Trenz 2004" in Christchurch, will be distributed with 165,000 copies of the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Tourism New Zealand chairman Wally Stone, himself Maori, said Maori culture was an important way of differentiating New Zealand on the world stage. "The UK is our third largest source of visitors, combined with the fact that we know our target market has a strong interest in Maori culture," he said.

With the sub-heading "Discover the land and the people of Aotearoa", the Rough Guide covers some basic Maori history, describes the different tribal regions and various cultural activities that tourists can take part in.

It also includes the lyrics of Pokarekare Ana and a glossary of common Maori words.

Tourism Minister Mark Burton said the Rough Guide launch was part of the strategy to attract what are known as "interactive travellers" who tended to seek out authentic cultural experiences. These travellers were exceptionally valuable to New Zealand, he said.

They spent more money, went to more of the outlying regions and were "as keen as we are to interact with and protect the very environments and heritage that have drawn them here".

Raewyn Hill, tourism manager of Wairakei Terraces, a new Maori cultural attraction near Taupo, said things had changed dramatically from the days of the "concert hangi".

The New Zealand tourism industry needed to realise that many visitors were coming here specifically because of an interest in Maori culture.