Coromandel launches prize lottery for SH25 drivers over Anzac weekend

Coromandel has launched a loop road lottery to encourage visitors back with holiday prizes. Photo / Cathedral Cove Kayaks, Supplied

After being battered by successive cyclones and severe weather events, driving the Coromandel’s roadways this summer has felt like a lottery. Now that could be a good thing.

Vehicles driving State Highway 25 this Anzac long weekend can enter into a prize draw as part of a stake to increase visitors to the tourism-reliant region.

The SH25A from Kōpū to Hikuai is still out of action, meaning that most Coromandel traffic will have to divert along the SH25 loop.

Thames-Coromandel Mayor Len Salt says the driver lottery for vehicles driving the Coromandel circular road is not so loopy after all.

“Following a rough start to the year with visitor numbers down significantly – as with many regions – we wanted to do something that reminded Kiwis that the Coromandel region is open and we’re ready to host them.”

The “Lucky Loop” means that any vehicle driving SH25, from Friday, April 21 to Tuesday April 25, will be eligible to enter a prize draw. Prizes include holiday experiences and nights in a Hahei Beach bach.

Weekend road trippers could even land themselves fresh Coromandel oysters and seafood.

Coromandel has launched a loop road lottery to encourage visitors back with holiday prizes. Photo / Cathedral Cove Kayaks, Supplied

Destination Hauraki Coromandel says that to enter the draw, all you need to do is to drive the loop over the Anzac Weekend. Winners will be chosen at random, from traffic cameras set up on secret locations around the peninsula.

Destination Hauraki Coromandel manager Hadley Dryden says that, rather than roading diversions, visitors will notice signage directing them to luckyloop.co.nz, to see if they have won.

“There’s still a perception that the Coromandel isn’t open and uncertainty about access, so we wanted to encourage visitation by doing something really fun.

“Despite the coastal loop taking a tad longer than driving over the hill, travellers will also be rewarded with fantastic views and a diverse range of homegrown local experiences.”

One of the prize providers, Mike Grogan, director of Cathedral Cove Kayak Tours, says that he is delighted to be part of the draw.

“Anything we can do to get Kiwis coming back to see us more regularly is a good thing.”

Coromandel’s Lucky Loop Lottery

Those driving State Highway 25 between 12.01am Friday, April 21 2023 – 11.59pm Tuesday, April 25 2023 will be automatically entered in the draw.

Visit www.luckyloop.co.nz for more information