Christchurch - Canterbury

As international support rolled into New Zealand in the wake of the 22 February Christchurch earthquake, the heart-warming gesture of a group of Japanese tourists has struck a special chord.

With the Gladiator, a selection of Hobbits and Gandalf defending the wickets, a Sunday cricket game in Wellington, New Zealand, is about to pitch Hollywood against Wellywood.

Prince William will visit the New Zealand city of Christchurch for a national memorial service to honour the victims of last month’s earthquake.

Christchurch’s tourism industry has taken its first steps towards recovery, opening some core services for the first time since the February 22 earthquake.

New Zealand is open, welcoming and operating as normal, except for the Christchurch area which was affected by an earthquake on 22 February.

Romance is in the air, and New Zealand has some top spots to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

More than 1100 athletes from 80 countries are converging on the South Island city of Christchurch for the IPC Athletics World Championships – the biggest event of its kind outside the Paralympic Games.

Chinese tourists flying to New Zealand will soon have increased and easier access with a new air service between Guangzhou, in southern China, and Auckland.

New Zealand is famed for rare and varied marine life and coastal-loving Kiwis are being made even more aware of their special surroundings with warm summer seas bringing species closer to shore.

New Zealand’s reputation as one of the world’s top surfing spots has been future-proofed by new legislation that protects the country’s most famous breaks.