On a jetty alongside the town beach a loud phone call disturbs the peace of a handful of Spetses residents lying in the sun before taking their daily swim - one free pleasure still available to all.

It is more important than ever that New Zealand lifts the quality of its holiday experiences for Chinese visitors, says Tourism New Zealand.

Many overseas activities are not covered by travel insurance.

Here's hoping country pubs won't become just a memory, writes Don Kavanagh.

Two weeks after Auckland Council voted to bring the V8s back north, the city's tourism body says it expects its major events to hit increasingly tough economic targets.