Why now is the time your clients should visit New Zealand

This is echoed by Audley’s Maidment: “Clients are looking to travel for longer and wanting to stay in higher standard accommodation, as well as choosing to spend more on their trip this year.”

Squeezed post-pandemic air capacity is also improving. Direct flights from Dubai to Auckland with Emirates were reinstated in December and now include Premium Economy. Qatar will relaunch Doha to Auckland from September, while Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand serve the country via Singapore. Air New Zealand also recently debuted flights via New York, which may prove an attractive alternative. United Airlines will meanwhile add the first non-stop service between San Francisco and Christchurch in December.

“New Zealand aligns really well with what the luxury traveller wants… experience-based luxury, transformational travel and diversity of experiences, complemented with outstanding luxury and boutique properties,” says Kate Fenton, regional trade manager UK & Europe for Tourism New Zealand.

She stresses the variety of product from alpine to beach, adding: “Anecdotally, we know clients are spending more, and New Zealand is delivering strong revenue for agents and operators. It’s a bucket-list destination for the UK market; clients want to make the most of their trip and indulge.”

Alluring adventures

New Zealand’s key draw is for scenic touring, taking in the sub-tropical and steamy geothermal landscapes of the North Island and glaciers and fjords of the South, while learning about Maori heritage.

The country’s lodge accommodation is particularly celebrated, many of the best grouped under the Luxury Lodges of New Zealand umbrella. High-end travellers may also wish to linger at the vineyards around Napier and Hawkes Bay. Inspired by New Zealand’s America’s Cup victories they could also take yacht excursions from “City of Sails” Auckland. Helicopter experiences are also possible: Carrier suggests a champagne picnic on Mount Cook while Audley’s Ultimate Luxury tour uses scenic helicopter transfers.

For adventurous clients New Zealand’s Great Walks may be enticing. The newest, added this year, is the Tuatapere Hump Ridge track, a challenging three-day loop along the south coast. Meanwhile the Taranaki Crossing in Egmont National Park opened this May, connecting and upgrading tracks on Mount Taranaki, an important spiritual site for Maoris, to create a 24-mile multi-day hike.

Ambitious post-pandemic itineraries are in demand, Anzcro notes. Halliday says: “Clients are choosing more unique experiences and locations, and destinations slightly o the beaten path. Their itineraries are now longer, and they’re seeking out luxury properties at every destination of their stay.” She says a typical North Island stay might start in Auckland, cover a few days at The Landing in the Bay of Islands, then Rotorua’s On The Point or Solitaire Lodge and Taupo’s Huka Lodge on Waikato River.

She adds: “We’re seeing this trend for extended luxury at every touchpoint of an itinerary, from private transfers to helicopter sightseeing to high-end overnight cruises. All-inclusive stays are also popular.

“Guests are seeking luxurious experiences nestled in nature, and arguably New Zealand does that better than anywhere.”

Upmarket touring options have increased. In October, Heritage Expeditions welcomed new 140- guest expedition flagship Heritage Adventurer, which offers three coastal New Zealand voyages including Unseen Fiordland and Stewart Island. On the TranzAlpine train, clients can now upgrade to Scenic Plus level, o ering more personalised service and a private open-air viewing carriage.

Halliday says she’s most excited about new product “with a Kiwi twist”. She notes improvements along the Hollyford Track mean this four-day hike close to Queenstown can now be tackled in “relative luxury” with nightly four-star accommodation.

In with the new 

Anzcro and Gold Medal both highlight Altitude Tours’ new Heli Gin tour, which features distillery and mountaintop tastings around Queenstown, and PurePods, which have expanded from four pre-pandemic to eleven. “These totally private, secluded and luxurious glass cabins with stunning views of the New Zealand landscape, offer a completely immersive and unique experience,” says Gold Medal’s Wadhams. “Luxury travel in New Zealand is very much about the destinations and the experiences.”