British backpacker dies in New Zealand quadbike plunge

It took emergency services almost four hours to retrieve the body of Sarah Katie Bond, 24, of Ilford, Essex, from the rugged terrain.

“Unfortunately, when we arrived on the scene there was nothing we could do,” an ambulance service spokesman said.

Miss Bond was among a group of young overseas travellers visiting the Waitomo Caves area, a popular tourist attraction in the central North Island, on Saturday.

New Zealand Truckers Plan Gridlock as Protest Over Charges

New Zealand truck drivers plan to create gridlock on the streets of the nation's biggest cities tomorrow in protest at an increase in government charges.

Police are advising motorists to expect delays and avoid unnecessary travel in cities including Auckland and Wellington. At least 1,000 trucks are expected in Auckland's central business district, the Road Transport Forum which represents commercial operators, said in a statement.

On July 1, Transport Minister Annette King increased road user charges by an average of 7.5 percent, effective immediately. Truckers face a delay before they can increase prices to recover the extra costs, at the same time as fuel costs soar and an economic slowdown crimps demand, Forum Chief Executive Officer Tony Friedlander said.

New Zealand looks to boost tourism industry

The guides, from the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA), focus on key areas of visitors, business, the environment and community, according to Oscar Nathan, the acting chief executive of the TIA. He told the website: "We know operators are already working hard to enhance their businesses but new ideas are always valuable. These guides have been designed to be easy to read and practical, so I strongly encourage operators to download a copy."

New Zealand is actively campaigning to attract more British travellers to the country and to increase the number of people applying for a New Zealand working holiday visa. The campaign is also encouraging visitors to take their holiday sooner rather than later.

Anyone interested in taking a working holiday to New Zealand should confirm their eligibility by taking the New Zealand Visa Bureau's online New Zealand visa assessment.

New Zealand’s snow the place to go for Aussie travellers

New Zealand gets nearly a quarter of its annual tourism income from Australian holiday-makers, according to the Dominion Post. Every year, the ski fields welcome 20 per cent more visitors from Australia, amounting to 70,000 people last year.

Australians are flocking to the slopes of New Zealand year after year because of the “much better, much more reliable skiing”, claims Matthew Hassan, a Westpac senior economist. And with the great exchange rate and another season looking packed with snowfalls, the influx of holiday-makers to New Zealand from Australia is expected to increase by another 20 per cent this year.