Blog4NZ takes New Zealand to the world
17 Mar 2011
A grassroots blogging and social media movement, supporting New Zealand in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake, is gathering major support worldwide with plans to saturate the internet with Kiwi travel content.
Independent travel bloggers are getting together to blog about New Zealand through #Blog4NZ - an event that calls for a 72-hour blackout of travel content throughout the world from 21 - 23 March.
The idea, dreamed up by a Christchurch resident and his fellow travel blogger, is designed to let the world know that New Zealand is still very much open for business.
Blog4NZ is already gathering momentum and key tourism operators as well as New Zealand businesses are offering incentives for the bloggers around the world to support the initiative.
Christchurch blogger
The idea is the brain-child of New Zealand travel blogger John Reese, a Christchurch resident, and fellow blogger, Jim McIntosh who turned to the power of the internet in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake to help New Zealand’s tourism industry.
While all thoughts went out to those people affected by the earthquake, they said travel bloggers were uniting to tell the world that New Zealand is a great place to visit and there is no better time than now.
For 72 hours, organisers want travel bloggers to publish as many articles as possible about New Zealand and for Twitter to be dominated by Tweets about travelling to the country.
Great travel destination
Blog4NZ event organiser Craig Martin of Indie Travel Media says New Zealand is one of the world's greatest travel destinations and has been a great source for many travel bloggers and travel entrepreneurs.
"For many northern hemisphere countries it is the furthest-most spot they can travel," Martin says.
"It has been the place where so much innovation has come with regard to travel - the home of bungy, the birth place of hop-on, hop-off backpacker travel and New Zealand led the way in independent hostels throughout the eighties and nineties."
Google search
Already a Google search produces thousands of results for Blog4NZ, and the wide variety of positive support of bloggers has been backed up with offers and incentives from large companies and travel operators within New Zealand’s tourism industry.
"New Zealand is a country where tourism is the number one contributor to GDP, where the Minister of Tourism is the PM - that is how important tourism is. "This is the travel community saying hey go to NZ - if there is one place that should be on your travel list this year it is NZ," says Dan Roberts of Travel Generation.
"This is something that as the travel community we can do to support not only all the businesses in Christchurch but everyone in New Zealand."
72-hour Blog4NZ
Event organisers say they are currently working with the New Zealand tourism industry to gather resources, images and content that travel bloggers from all over the world will be able to access to generate their stories during the 72 hours of blog4NZ.
"At the same time the call is going out to all travel bloggers, travel experts, photographers and social media users to show the power of the Internet to make a real long term difference to those travel businesses suffering in New Zealand not just now but over the next 12 months," says Roberts.
Already many are listing reasons why visitors should still visit what they call "the most beautiful country in the world".
Bloggers are also reminding travellers that damage from the February earthquake in Christchurch is very localised, and that damage is limited to an area equivalent to the size of Lower Manhattan.
Life's a Journey
One blog - on Life’s a Journey - says New Zealand is open for business and lists five reasons to still visit:
- damage is extremely centralised
- Christchurch airport is open and fully operational
- Canterbury needs you
- Experience the genuine, open and laid back kiwi spirit
- New Zealand is a microcosm of the world.
Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism
Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism says the earthquake affected just 1% of the South Island and while part of the city's central district remains cordoned off, the wider region continues to welcome visitors.
Popular tourist destinations like Akaroa, Kaikoura, the Mackenzie Country and Hanmer Springs are operating normally. Within Christchurch city, 18 hotels and lodges, 105 motels, 14 holiday parks, six backpackers hostels and 12 B&Bs are open.
Many tourism activities are also operating including the Tranz-Alpine train, Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, the Air Force Museum, Black Cat Cruises as well as hiking, horse trekking, jet boating and other adventure and sightseeing tours.
More information
Blog4NZ
Christchurch - Canterbury region
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