NZ Department of Conservation have listed their most utilised camp grounds:
North Island Waikawau Bay, Waikato - 30,000 annual visitors
Maitai Bay, Northland - 30,000 Uretiti, Northland - 26,500
Port Jackson, Waikato - 17,000
Otamure Bay, Northland - 15,500
South Island Totaranui, Nelson/Marlborough - 29,000 annual visitors
White Horse Hill, Canterbury - 17,000
Momorangi, Nelson/Marlborough - 11,000
Kerr Bay, Nelson/Marlborough - 8500
Mavora Lakes, Southland - 6750
(www.smh.com.au)
New Zealand Tourism for some years now have endeavoured to market their many attractions to Australians through television, newspapers and magazines. If anything, with the concern of Asian destinations in the early 2000's after the Bali bombing, Asian dug laws and imprisonments and the Thailand tsunami to name just three of the issues, New Zealand ran hard to fill the tourism gap.
The result was a huge increase in Australian visitors to New Zealand, up by 2.8% to November 2011 in one year alone. The increase from 2000 to 2011 has grown exponentially. (www.tourismnewzealand.com)
In those years, Well-Being Australia chairman Mark Tronson notes, that he has visited New Zealand three times himself and everyone of his own family members have visited New Zealand, some twice or more, including the snow fields. There are some very cost effective air fares and holiday deals.
New Zealand is not only a tourism situation for many Australia, but business, education, romance and Christian ministry also play their parts.
Christian Ministry interchange with New Zealand
It is to Christian ministry that Mark Tronson can speak as his many visits have been associated with Christian ministry. Moreover, another visit in September 2012 is planned, for the Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA) annual conference being held in Wellington.
In the 1990's Mark Tronson travelled to New Zealand for a number of conferences and then in 2002 Mark Tronson, as the Australian cricket team chaplain was touring beside the team, meeting them on training days while engaging in high school, university and men's dinners and breakfast ministry. In 2006 he was there again including radio interviews and in 2009 met with the New Zealand Academy of Sport on 'Respite Ministry' regarding the Australian athlete respite model of Basil Sellers Houses' in Moruya, Tweed Heads and more recently, Laguna Quays Respite.
He was in Ministry for the 1990 Commonwealth Games Chaplaincy and a sports ministry conference, another was for a South Pacific Sports Ministry conference and other visits was as an evangelist. New Zealand is one of his fun places.
New Zealand church life is a favourite venue for Australian Christian outreaches and vice versa. Many New Zealanders have likewise visited Australian churches, some have stayed such as Phil Pringle of the triple C network initiated with the Sydney City Church.
New Zealand will remain a favourite destination for Australians whether it be tourism, business, education, romance or Christian ministry.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html