Rivalry causing bit of a stink

Tauranga's new ads have a bad smell over them. Photo / Supplied

A cheeky new tourism campaign promoting Tauranga has reopened regional rivalry by poking fun at Rotorua's rotten-egg smell.

The battle of the Bay of Plenty cities has been triggered by adverts in bar toilets in Auckland and Hamilton.

Slogans include "Smell like Rotorua in here?", above an image of a sandy beach and the Tauranga promotion web address.

Tourism Bay of Plenty boss Tim Burgess said the ads were intended to be "cheeky and irreverent" and play up their toilet-door location. "It's no secret that there's a sulphurous smell in Rotorua and it just seemed to be a nice fit," he said. "It might appear to be a bit on the nose, but at the same time it's paying a compliment when you mention a competitor in an ad."

Destination Rotorua general manager Don Gunn said his rivals from over the Mamaku Ranges were "resorting to toilet humour" but the jibe hadn't put anyone's nose out of joint.

"It's just a bit of fun, to be honest.

"It's what's distinctive about Rotorua - and it probably smells a hell of a lot worse in some of those toilets."

Rotorua's supporters have also sent themselves up.

They claimed on April Fool's Day that Hugh Hefner was moving there after reading reports that hydrogen sulphide - the source of the city's distinctive odour - had aphrodisiac qualities.

"We did it as a bit of a tongue-in-cheek joke, and it went all around the world," Gunn said.

Tauranga's new campaign could also be seen as payback from local rugby fans after the coastal city failed to secure any games in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, despite a joint bid with Rotorua. Sulphur City will host three.

Burgess said there was some disappointment in Tauranga about the decision, but he was hoping to scoop team hosting rights for the tournament.

The latest campaign's main aim was to change perceptions of Tauranga as a "beachside retirement town".

"People who haven't been here for 20 years would be blown away by the growth that's gone on."