Rotorua leaves the Society of American Travel Writers spellbound

Rotorua left the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) spellbound after they experienced the city's world famous adventure and geothermal attractions recently. Around 450 North American Travel Writers and PR professionals were in New Zealand for the SATW annual convention which was held in Wellington. They were given the opportunity to choose pre and post convention tours in 27 different regions with 60 tours on offer. The opportunity came just one week after Rotorua had hosted the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW). Fifteen North American Travel Writers embarked on the pre-convention Rotorua Adventure Tour excited about the opportunity to experience world first adventure activities such as the Shweeb at Agroventures and the world famous Zorb. Other adventure activities they engaged in included luging down Mt Ngongotaha at Skyline Rotorua, high speeds and 360º spins on Lake Rotorua with Kawarau Jet, mountain biking with Multi Day Adventures, Off Road NZ kart racing, white water rafting the seven metre drop on the Kaituna River with River Rats and then finally relaxing with a hot soak at Polynesian Spa. SATW board member Bob Sehlinger said he really enjoyed the Adventure tour which was organised like clockwork by Destination Rotorua Marketing and Tourism New Zealand. "In the 20 years of being a member of SATW, this has been the best pre/post tour I have ever been on," he said. The pre convention Rotorua Geothermal Tour had 17 writers taking part and the post Geothermal Tour showed seven writers around. They felt the wonder of the billowing steam, bubbling mud pools and spectacular geysers of the city visiting the Whakerewarewa Thermal Village, Rotorua Museum, Polynesian Spa, White Island, Te Urerewa Treks, the Buried Village, Te Puia and Waimangu Volcanic Valley. Destination Rotorua Marketing acting general manager Tania Bui says the exposure and coverage of Rotorua through hosting pre and post famils for the SATW delegates is invaluable. "It would have taken considerable time and resources to attract such influential writers to New Zealand and to our region independently and the feedback that we have received has been exceptionally positive, some of which we know has already been posted on global travel blogs, social media and travel websites," she says. "This alone is fantastic given the importance of web search in decision making for travel choices." Almost 65,000 visitors arrived in Rotorua from the United States in the year to end of December 2011 which was an estimated 34% of all United States visitor arrivals to New Zealand.