New Zealand is pristine as yet with craggy coastlines, sand swept beaches, primeval forests, and snow capped glaciers and teeming wildlife. Its natural resources and beauty has attracted tourists and nature lovers from all over the world making tourism an important product for over a century.

What then is Ecotourism? In simple terms Ecotourism involves visiting natural areas with the objectives of learning, studying or participating in activities that do not bring negative effects to the environment; whilst protecting and empowering the local community socially and economically.

At the same time Ecotourism needs to take into consideration the tourists interests also as the bottom line is he foots the bill. Ecotourism has to provide high quality tourist experiences, at the same time it should be economically viable for business operations as well as suit the budget of the tourist, also contributing to conservation in a meaningful and valuable way.

By involving the tourist in environmental issues an increased awareness in the impact on the ecosystem and damage reduction through responsible action can take place. Involvement of local communities in decision making and managing ecotourism can help in empowerment of the local communities. Employment of locals and the extensive use of local produce and resources raise the economic condition of the people of the land.

Today Ecotourism in New Zealand though in its fledgling state has gained popularity and importance with ecotour operators offering a number of activities in both the islands ranging from guided walks to discovery tours.

Thrifty, Budget, Avis, Europcar and Hertz are among the car hire companies in New Zealand.

The Maori name for the country is ‘New Zealand Aotearoa’ which translated means ‘New Zealand, The Land of the Long White Cloud’.

New Zealand comprises of two large islands, namely North Island and South Island, and a number of smaller islands (including Stewart Island/Rakiura and Chatham Islands).

New Zealand is a very picturesque country in fact 30% of the country is made up of forests.

For the nature lover apart from the breath taking landscape, the gushing rivers and the silent volcanoes, New Zealand is also home to the largest flightless parrot (kakapo), oldest reptile (tuatara), biggest earthworms, smallest bats, heaviest insect (a weta), some of the oldest trees and many rarest species birds, insects, and plants, in the world.

New Zealand is one of the top five dairy exporters in the world producing 100 kg of butter and 65 kg of cheese each year for each person who lives in the country.

A car crazy nation New Zealand has 2.5 million cars for four million people one of the world’s highest car ownership rates.

Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Mt Everest, was a citizen of New Zealand.

New Zealand also has the distinction as the place where Bungee jumping was invented.

The City of Dunedin is home to New Zealand’s oldest university, first newspaper and first botanic gardens.

18% of New Zealand’s export earnings and 9% of its economy by GDP are tourism dependant. Tourism accounts for more than 10% of the employment.

Among the car hire companies available are Thrifty, Budget, Avis, Europcar and Hertz.

A new departures duty free shop has been opened on 1^st of July at the Christchurch International Airport Ltd (CIAL) in New Zealand. This new JR Duty Free Shop, name based on the Australian retailer James Richardson, have started its operation on half of the 900 sq m, which is dedicated to its departure stores.

The foreign exchange retailer, Travelex has been installed and the major food and beverage tender have been awarded to the US travel retailer HMSHost. The food outlets are inclusive of Healthy Habits, The Coffee Club, Burger King, Noodle and Underground Coffee. 11 sites in the international terminal and new integrated terminal which will be opened in the early 2011 are also comprised in the contract.

A landside precinct with a large food and beverage area is featured in the new integrated terminal and consists of public seating for nearly 500 people and also provide specialty retail stores which offers with gifts, books and pharmacy.

The CEO of the airport, Jim Boult has said that focus is being made on improving and providing the travelers with a range of services and the new duty free shop has been welcomed by the passengers, which also has a unique Canterbury and South Island theme.”

He also stated that in the coming years, many more aspects and amenities will be launched at the new terminal and is in no doubt of pleasing the passengers with a rise in its standards.

New Zealand is an island country comprising of two land masses, the North Island and the South Island along with many smaller islands. It lies southeast of Australia across the Tasman Sea in the south western Pacific Ocean.

A year-round holiday destination due to its temperate climate, New Zealand has a spectacularly beautiful landscape with everything ranging from vast mountain chains, steaming volcanoes, sweeping coastlines, deeply indented fiords and lush rainforests.

Polynesian migration 700 years ago led to the Maori culture. Heritage and cultural sites like Waitangi can enlighten a visitor about the treaty that changed the course of New Zealand history, Otago displays relics of the gold rush, or Napier with a wealth of Art Deco architecture which materialized due to a huge earthquake in 1931.

The southern paradise of Rakiura or Stewart Island is a national park, a place for hiking, bird watching and star gazing. Kapiti, north of Wellington and Tiritiri Matangi in the Hauraki Gulf are other islands devoted to the protection of wildlife. Accessed by ferry the Great Barrier has appealing untouched rugged beauty. Further north are the Bay of Islands a spectacular maritime playground.

Created by volcanic action the crater lakes like Rotorua’s of North Island are trout fishing destinations, the largest being Taupo. Fringed with pure white sand At Kai Iwi in Northland there are three beautiful dune lakes. South Island’s lakes were born from glacial action. Lake Te Anau is the largest while Lake Manapouri with 34 islands regarded as the most beautiful.

The Pacific Ocean on the east has beaches with white sand, surf and calm harbors, while on the west the notoriously wild Tasman Sea, breaks against rugged cliffs, weathered rocks and long, soulful stretches of black sand. For the best surf breaks in the country is the west coasts Teriyaki’s Surf Highway 45.

From glaciers to fiords, active volcanic regions to rain forest, amazing flora and fauna to pools of boiling mud, New Zealand is diverse wonderland of natural phenomena.

There are 14 national parks from Tongariro in the North Island to Rakiura on Stewart Island along with many forest parks, scenic reserves, conservation areas and wildlife sanctuaries waiting for a visit.

Mount Eden and One Tree Hill in Auckland, Mount Victoria in Wellington, the top of the Port Hills in Christchurch and Flagstaff Hill in Dunedin offer some of the best scenic and panoramic views in the world.

Self-driving holidays are one if the most relaxing ways of enjoying New Zealand’s landscape. Many of the roads are scenic and traffic is low when compared to international standards

So enjoy the beauty of New Zealand and let us take care of your car rental needs.