Bollywood star dives in

MOVE IT: Sidharth Malhotra gets some tips on the haka at Waitangi Treaty Grounds from members of the cultural group Te Pito Whenua. Photo / Supplied

Movie hero tries it all in Northland

Northland tourism bosses are hoping a visit by a top Bollywood star with 4.3 million social media followers will boost the region's profile among India's burgeoning travel set.

Model turned actor Sidharth Malhotra went dune-boarding at Te Paki, learned the haka at Waitangi Treaty Grounds, visited Tane Mahuta, dived at the Poor Knights and stayed at Eagle's Nest in Russell.

Mr Malhotra, who has 4.3 million social media followers in India, was delighted to learn the haka just in time for the All Blacks v France World Cup quarter-final.

He was especially moved by his visit to Tane Mahuta and the gift of an adze-style pounamu from Footprints Waipoua.

"As soon as you set foot in the forest you know you're in a special place with a lot of history and culture. To top it all, the pounamu given to me is absolutely beautiful. I know how much this stone means to the Maori people, I'll treasure and cherish it forever," he said.

Mr Malhotra was in New Zealand from October 11-19, visiting Northland, Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown.

Northland Inc regional promotions manager Paul Davis said he was pleased Northland had made it on to the star's itinerary given that he was here shooting promotional material for Tourism New Zealand's Indian marketing campaign.

Mr Davis said the Indian market was small but growing, especially in the high-end, honeymoon and family group sectors. Family arrivals peaked in April to June, making them attractive to Northland's highly seasonal tourism industry.

Mr Malhotra's latest movie, Brothers, took $87 million in its first week at the box office when it was released last month. Tourism NZ figures show 43,329 Indians visited New Zealand in the year ending August, up 24.9 per cent from the previous year.