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MOTORHOMENEWS

~ A personal take by Christopher Macgowan on tourism, travel and motorhomes.

MOTORHOMENEWS

Tag Archives: New Zealand

Talking up New Zealand motorhoming.

24 Sunday Jan 2016

Posted by chrismacgowan in Motorhomes, Travel

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Christopher Macgowan, motorhome, motorhomenews, New Zealand

  
An independent survey by New Zealand’s largest seller of motorhomes shows New Zealanders are more likely to visit New Zealand destinations if they have the time to travel there in motorhomes.

Eighty per cent of the more than 10,000 New Zealanders surveyed are ‘extremely likely’ to recommend their country as a travel destination – in spite of New Zealanders themselves being more likely to holiday overseas than in their own country.

Twenty four per cent of New Zealanders surveyed are more likely to have taken a 10-day trip overseas in the last year than the 18 per cent who chose a domestic holiday – in spite of 83 per cent saying they don’t travel as much as they would like to.

More than half the sampled population 57 per cent, believe it is more expensive to travel in New Zealand compared to other countries.

For the RV super centre which sponsored the survey the result are encouraging:

Almost 70 per cent of New Zealanders want to see more of the country and about half of them want to do so in a motorhome. Second option is travelling by car and with two per cent saying it would be best to fly from place to place.

“Kiwis are known for being a nation of travellers, and being in a motorhome means they can take their time visiting all the beautiful locations New Zealand has to offer, with the added benefit of being able to pull over and have a cuppa or a make a bite to eat anywhere they like and get a bit off the beaten track. It’s a fun and explorative way to travel,” says RV supercentre managing director Grant Brady.

Bay of Plenty figures show nearly 60 per cent want to see more of the country. More people from the Bay say they are ‘extremely likely’ to recommend New Zealand to overseas than any other region, that’s 84 per cent of Bay residents compared with an average of 80 per cent.

People from the Bay recommend seeing New Zealand by motorhome/campervan over driving or flying. (56 per cent vs 43 per cent and 1 per cent respectively).

Thirty two per cent of the people polled from the Bay say they would consider living in a caravan or motorhome for six months or more, and when asked what they are more likely to buy over the next 10 years, 27 per cent of Bay of Plenty say it will be a motorhome, 23 per cent a house and six per cent a boat and six per cent a bach, and five per cent a tent.

Bay of Plenty residents are three times more likely to own a boat than a bach, and 45 per cent of people from the Bay felt it is too expensive to buy a holiday home/bach.

Nearly half of those polled, 48 per cent, chose owning a motorhome over a bach, boat, caravan or tent. As age increases, the desire to own a motorhome increases and the desire to own a bach decreases, according to the survey figures. Motorhomes are also becoming more attractive to younger travellers in recent years as the price of land in New Zealand increases.

“It was pleasing to learn that almost all of those surveyed agreed that it is important for Kiwis to see more of New Zealand, because it helps them to appreciate the country they live in and want to look after it, as well as supporting small towns and other tourist destinations outside of the big cities,” says Grant.

“Travelling in a motorhome allows Kiwis to take in the scenery while on the road – sometimes the journey itself is the most beautiful part, in a country like New Zealand, with the landscape changing from hour to hour,” says Brady.

Eighty per cent of those polled identify “the natural surroundings” as the best thing about travelling in New Zealand. Respondents voted three scenically stunning South Island locations as being the most worth seeing in the country – Milford Sound at 23 per cent, followed by Queenstown at 19 per cent, and Abel Tasman National Park at 14 per cent of the vote. Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill, each received a meagre one per cent of the vote.

Rotorua is the most popular domestic destination, with a whopping 88 per cent of respondents having visited.

The survey was conducted by an independent party, with 10,703 respondents across the country, over the age of 18.

Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews

Am in a seasonal muddle..

12 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by chrismacgowan in General, This and That

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chrismacgowan, Christopher Macgowan, daffodil, motorhome, motorhomenews, New Zealand, Spring, summer

  

Having just returned from a New Zealand summer with temperatures in the high twenties I am struggling to get my head round the idea that after summer comes spring. But if these daffodils at home are anything to go by, it clearly is spring.  I need to lie down in a darkened room.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

It’s the wine, stupid.

21 Saturday Mar 2015

Posted by chrismacgowan in Places, Travel

≈ 1 Comment

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auckland, bay of islands, Christopher Macgowan, motorhome, motorhomenews, New Zealand, picton, Queenstown

  

We’re here in New Zealand for a variety of reasons. Faye has family here and is herself a New Zealander; I love Auckland and Queenstown – and Picton and the Bay of Islands; then of course there are the wonderful restaurants and on top of that some of the best scenery anywhere.

But for the two of us it’s the wine that does it.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Queenstown to Glenorchy: an essential drive.

18 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by chrismacgowan in Places, Travel

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Christopher Macgowan, Glenorchy, motorhome, motorhomenews, New Zealand, Queenstown









Just forty kilometres – but stunning New Zealand scenery all the way.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

The motorhome site at Lake Tekapo is a MUST!

14 Saturday Mar 2015

Posted by chrismacgowan in Sites

≈ 1 Comment

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Christopher Macgowan, motorhome, motorhomenews, New Zealand, tekapo

 

South Island, New Zealand.

Christopher Macgowan 

@motorhomenews

Marlborough Sounds

12 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by chrismacgowan in Travel

≈ 1 Comment

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Christopher Macgowan, motorhome, motorhomenews, New Zealand







Passing through the Marlborough Sounds between the North Island and South Island here in New Zealand is up there with the best tourism experiences I have ever encountered. Along with and equal to driving into Red Square, standing alone in Tiananmen Square and waking up overlooking the waterfront in Vancouver after a late night hotel check in.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

To say motorhomes are popular in New Zealand is an understatement.

08 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by chrismacgowan in General, Travel

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Christopher Macgowan, motorhome, motorhomenews, New Zealand



I think we all know that seeing New Zealand by motorhome is hugely popular – particularly the South Island – but the sheer number of rental motorhomes has to be seen to be believed. It is clearly very big business. The climate, the space and the beauty of the country combine to make this a holiday of choice for many people who have never been anywhere near a motorhome  in their lives before.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Mosgiel Easter Rally.

16 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by chrismacgowan in Places

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Christopher Macgowan, Mosgiel, motorhomes, New Zealand, rally

20140416-102236.jpg

An invasion of motorhomes is set to descend on Mosgiel this week. The New Zealand Motor Caravan Association’s National Easter Rally is being held at the Mosgiel A&P Showgrounds from April 17 to 21.

Rally control team member Brian Wolff, of Sawyers Bay, said about 600 motorhomes/caravans and 1200 people were expected.

Some had already arrived in the area and it was expected many would stick around to explore afterwards, Mr Wolff said.

The influx of motorhomes would bring an injection of cash into the Mosgiel and Dunedin areas.

Mr Wolff projected an economic boost to the Taieri of about $750,000.

This was an update to a previous estimate of $500,000.

The event was the result of two years of organisation.

An 1800sqm marquee at the showgrounds will serve as the rally’s ”base”.

Workshops around motorhome ownership would be offered, and Mr Wolff was keen to point out association members were ”responsible”.

The rally came amid concern about the behaviour of ”freedom campers”, but by far most in the association were in ”self-contained” motorhomes, he said.

”Unfortunately, we all get lumped in the same pot.”

He hoped the rally would help give motorhome owners a better name.

Part of the rally’s organisation involved setting up a number of places in Dunedin and Mosgiel for members to park before and after the rally.

The organisers had also liaised closely with the Dunedin City Council.

”We have had regular meetings with the council and they have been very supportive of the whole thing,” Mr Wolff said.

One of the workshops at the event would be on how to be a responsible pet-owner while on the road and some 97 pets were expected at the rally.

Entertainment, including dancing, would also offered every evening and buses to Mosgiel and Dunedin would be provided.

Optional side trips being offered included Taieri Gorge railway excursions, a four-wheel-drive rally and a visit to Outram’s vintage machinery museum.

Most of the members were over the age of 50, due to the cost of buying a motorhome, but there were also some younger families.

The attraction of buying a motorhome was largely to do with the freedom that came with it.

”You can stop where you want to stop.”

vaughan.elder@odt.co.nz

Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews

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