Air New Zealand has shared to be introducing the Economy Skynest to its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Economy passengers will be able to book the bunk beds for four hours on end  during their flight, offering them the chance to lie flat and get a few hours’ proper rest in the air.

“For a country as remote as New Zealand, the journey matters. Tourism is a $46 billion NZD industry, but growth depends on travellers’ willingness to spend long hours in the air to get here. Skynest is designed to help make that easier. It reflects the practical innovation New Zealand is known for, and shows how thoughtful design can improve the travel experience. By giving more people the chance to properly rest on ultra long-haul flights, it helps make travel to and from New Zealand more manageable,” said Air New Zealand Chief Executive, Nikhil Ravishankar.

Extra comfort in economy

According to the airline, the Economy Skynest has been tested for several years by over 200 customers. Economy and Premium Economy passengers will have the option of adding a four-hour session in the Skynest to their regular ticket. The duration of those sessions has been designed around natural sleep cycles to allow time to settle, sleep, and wake gradually.

All of the bunk bed pods will offer a quiet, private space with a full-length mattress, bedding, ambient lighting, ventilation, and charging ports. Six individual pods will be available on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which will be located between the Economy and Premium Economy cabins.

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Initially, two sessions will be offered on each flight. The bedding – including a pillow, sheets, and blanket – will be changed in between every session in order to make the Skynest as hygienic and comfortable as possible. Passengers will also receive a ‘Nestcessities’ kit including eye mask, ear plugs, socks, and Aotea skincare.

Passengers will need to pay $495 NZD (€247) per session on top of their regular fare. Bookings open on 18 May 2026 for flights from November 2026 onwards.

“Skycouch gave customers more choice in how they travel, and Skynest builds on that by offering a new option for rest on our longest flights. It is about recognising that customers value flexibility, comfort and control, and giving more people the opportunity to travel in a way that works better for them”, stated Nikhil Ravishankar.

Skynest offers yet a step up compared to Skycouch, which has been available at Air New Zealand for some time. Skycouch offers passengers the possibility – for an additional fee – to request special footrests in order to turn an entire airplane row into a makeshift bed. The initiative is available to families or passengers with an entire row of seats booked out in economy, or to those who have spare seats next to them.

L’article Air New Zealand introduces bunk beds for economy passengers on new planes est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Te Waharoa works are expected to draw 100,000 more visitors thanks to more ship calls since they are designed to allow a large ship of 4,500 or more passengers to discharge or load comfortably within three hours, instead of having to anchor in harbour and tender guests to shore on small boats, which Port of Auckland CEO Roger Gray has slammed as “a terrible customer experience.” The change will ensure instead “the efficient movement of visitors and a high-quality first impression of Auckland as they arrive in the heart of the city,” he said.

Te Waharoa is just part of a NZ$200 million (€99.86 million) investment by Port of Auckland that will see a pick-up and drop-off area for buses and taxis feeding into regional sightseeing routes. In addition, arriving passengers will be able to access Auckland’s downtown waterfront on foot, where they will find accommodation, numerous attractions, ferry services, and restaurants.

Mayor Wayne Brown hailed the port investment as a transformation that will “lift the experience of visitors arriving in our city from the water. With 3,200 kilometres of coastline, Auckland’s harbor and waterfront is a big part of what makes our city unique,” he said, adding: “By opening up our wharves, we are transforming industrial zones into vibrant, accessible public spaces for visitors and Aucklanders.”

Some ports and harbours around the world are pursuing policies that go in the opposite direction, restricting numbers of large boats due to overtourism, pollution concerns, and criticism that cruise passengers do not spend money in the places where they disembark. The issue has seen traction in Spain, where Barcelona cut dock capacity by 30% after Mayor Ada Colau described a “feeling of collapse” when thousands of people arrive in the city at once. In France too, legislators have proposed a “polluter pays” port call fee, and Cote d’Azur destinations such as Cannes have imposed limits on cruise ship arrivals.

But in New Zealand, official statements highlight that tourism is the country’s second largest export, generating around 7.7% of national GDP. What’s more, with around 300,000 cruise visitors passing through annually, the cruise sector is worth over $600 million a year for Auckland alone. Increasing the port’s capacity is therefore a strategy that policymakers say “supports Auckland’s long-term prosperity. Te Waharoa international cruise terminal is a major step in building a thriving, globally connected city,” said Gray.

L’article Auckland aims to boost cruise arrivals with new international port terminal in 2027 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

But nearly 15 years after its launch, one section of the walk in particular is causing concern. In Southland’s Longwoods, an over 23,000-hectare area of formerly undiscovered backcountry mainly known to gold miners from the mid-19^th to mid-20^th century, has become such a draw for walkers that its fragile habitat of hills and native bushland is turning to bog.

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Te Araroa Trust executive director Matt Claridge has described “severe degradation due to boggy conditions and increasing walker numbers.” The area has developed such a reputation as one of the toughest parts of the long-distance challenge that some visitors are even now skipping that section altogether.

Images published on social media show walkers up to their shins in wet mud or straddling waterways that have replaced paths, alongside an appeal for help. “If you’ve walked this section of Te Araroa, you know THE MUD – the thick, exhausting, knee-deep bog that’s become one of the toughest parts of the entire trail,” a Facebook post explains, continuing: “What many people don’t see is the environmental impact underneath it all. To avoid the mud, walkers are stepping wider and wider, the bog is spreading, fragile plant life is dying, the trail is degrading, and the ecosystem can’t recover.”

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To rectify the situation, protect the ecosystem and allow walkers to continue to enjoy the trail, partial funding of $118,000 (around €57,000) has already been secured through the Department of Conservation and the Back Country Trust, starting with a one-kilometre stretch of environmentally-friendly boardwalk and minor detour to protect the wetlands, as well as a refurb of the Turnball Hut refuge. But, the appeal organisers say, approximately $30,000 (€15,000) more is required before construction can begin.

At the time of writing, the appeal has raised $11,665 (€5,700) and the website is inviting further contributions to “enhance the safety, enjoyment, and protect the heritage of this section. No more knee-deep mud, just a defined, elevated path through stunning native forest.”

L’article Appeal launched to save New Zealand walking trail bogged down by overtourism est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

This came just a day after the announcement of Swift’s engagement lit up social media. Tourism New Zealand posted on Instagram to congratulate the couple, weaving Swift’s lyrics into a personalised invitation. The post included a carousel of idyllic images of potential venues, from vineyards and tree churches to secluded lakes. Each image was paired with a lyrical caption: “Taylor and Travis, we always knew this was End Game. Let’s make this the wedding of your Wildest Dreams. Follow the invisible string, say “I do” in New Zealand.”

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Air New Zealand joined in on the fun, commenting: “@taylorswift, you’d be Enchanted to walk down our aisle… Sparks Fly in seats 13A and B.”

Even Prime Minister Christopher Luxon weighed in, declaring that there would be ‘no better place in the world’ for the wedding or honeymoon. He pointed to natural wonders such as Aoraki/Mount Cook and the Waitomo glowworm caves, as well as adventure hotspots like Queenstown. With a nod to Kelce’s sporting life, Luxon added that the groom might also enjoy a taste of New Zealand rugby.

Rugby players are known to tease American footballers for wearing layers of ‘armour’, whereas they pride themselves on playing with little more than a mouthguard. New Zealand’s national team, the All Blacks, are currently ranked among the world’s top three and is legendary not only for their dominance on the pitch, but also for the awe- and fear-inspiring haka they perform before every game.

Not everyone was convinced, though. One commenter on the official post remarked, “I can’t imagine being so famous that an entire country invites you over just because you got engaged. Just remember… they’re just people. They’re people like all the rest of us. I’d love to see you offer this to a normal couple who got engaged!”

Yet behind the playfulness lies serious business. Swift’s global impact on tourism is already proven. Her Eras Tour has generated billions of dollars in revenue worldwide, boosting hotels, restaurants, and even the aviation industry. In Europe, airlines have added flights to meet demand from Swifties, and US economists have coined the term ‘Swiftonomics’ to describe her economic ripple effect.

A wedding, or even a honeymoon, in New Zealand would be an invaluable marketing coup. Swift’s engagement post received over 1.5 million likes in under 10 minutes, and news of the Tourism New Zealand petition dominated global headlines. The earned media value alone is something that most destinations could only dream of.

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New Zealand is not the only destination to have extended an invitation: New York City’s Department of Parks and Recreation cheekily posted on X, quoting Swift’s own lyrics: “Are you suddenly looking for a place to get married? Welcome to New York, it’s been waiting for you”.

Swift and Kelce began dating in 2023, and the pop icon has frequently been spotted at Kansas City Chiefs games, even appearing on Kelce’s podcast with his brother to promote her latest album. Wherever the couple chooses to wed, one thing is certain: the location will attract as much attention as the wedding dress.

L’article New Zealand makes pitch to host Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Once considered by some to be at the forefront of novel ways to challenge overtourism, New Zealand was praised for viral campaigns using gentle humour to dissuade visitors from following the crowds launched in 2023. But the southwest Pacific nation appears to be changing track.

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With the country facing a demographic crisis and prolonged economic contraction, pro-tourism marketing in early 2025 was widely ridiculed for making the country sound like it was holding a closing-down sale. Now the government has promised to make further concessions “in the spirit of saying yes to more jobs, more growth and higher wages”, according to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

Part of the changes will apply fees, predicted to be applicable from 2027, for overseas visitors when they go to wilderness areas such as Aoraki Mount Cook, Cathedral Cove/Te Whanganui-a-Hei, Milford Sound and Tongariro Crossing. The charges are likely to be between NZ$20 and NZ$40 (€10 to €20) per person.

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Some locals have complained that infrastructure and services cannot keep up with tourist numbers in remote parts of the country. The tourist charges at sites Luxon has described as “truly special to New Zealanders” will raise around NZ$62m annually – a sum that will go back into these areas and, according to conservation minister, Tama Potaka, enable New Zealand to “keep investing in the sites that underpin so much of our tourism sector”.

The entry levies come on top of increased visa costs introduced in October 2024 that almost tripled the NZD $35 (€19.6) NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) charge, taking it up to NZD $100 (€56).

Expensive perhaps, but so far, so normal, since the charges seem in line with tourist taxes and access fees being introduced in many destinations around the world, from Japan’s Mount Fuji to Hawaii’s beaches, and Venice’s historic centre.

But it is the relaxation of regulations governing how some natural sites are exploited that is causing some concern. Following 2024 legislation that permits the fast-tracking of mining projects and rural developments, the government is also looking to undo protections that restrict businesses from killing wildlife, at the same time as axing climate and conservation policies. The ensuring NZ$102 million in savings have been slammed as a “war on nature” by environmental group Forest and Bird and as a “Burn, baby, burn” attitude by Green politician Chlöe Swarbrick.

L’article New Zealand set to rip up conservation policies and apply tourist fees at famous wilderness sites est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The new look, set for rollout in 2026, was developed in collaboration with Māori artist and tā moko specialist Te Rangitu Netana. Together, Wickstead and Netana created a suite of designs featuring traditional Māori patterns and hand-painted artwork, including kōwhaiwhai (curving motifs) and purapura whetū (star clusters), which embody Māori cultural symbols of unity, guidance, and new life.

Wickstead’s vision for national pride

“We set out to create more than a uniform,” said Wickstead in a statement. “It was essential to me that this collection tells a meaningful story about Aotearoa. I wanted to design garments that reflect our people, our place, and our spirit — clothing that empowers wearers and fills them with pride.”

The designs include a mix of trench coats, dresses, tailored shirts, and trousers, along with the traditional ‘ie faitaga’ — a Pacific Island men’s skirt. Key symbolic features include the Kākā feather, representing leadership and resilience, and the Matariki constellation, which holds deep cultural significance in New Zealand as a marker of the Māori New Year.

The uniform update is part of a broader two-year initiative by the airline to refresh its brand image while staying true to its roots. “This new uniform encapsulates who we are,” said Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran. “It brings together innovation, sustainability, and a deep connection to our people and place.”

The uniform, which will be worn by 6,000 Air New Zealand (NZ) employees globally, reflects the airline’s dedication to staff empowerment. From cabin crew to ground services, the garments aim to instil a sense of belonging and pride among all who wear them.

Huia feather and sustainability

A notable addition is the embroidered Huia feather on leadership garments. Once a revered symbol worn by Māori chiefs, the Huia feather on the new uniform signifies respect and honour. Departing leaders will be able to keep the embroidered feather as a memento of their service — a move Wickstead described as “deeply thoughtful and aligned with the kaupapa [values] of this design.”

Beyond aesthetics, sustainability has been embedded in the design process. The uniforms are made from environmentally friendly materials such as merino wool, organic cotton, and recycled polyester. These were selected to ensure both durability and reduced environmental impact.

Wickstead, who has previously dressed royalty and international celebrities, described the uniform design as one of the most meaningful projects of her career. “For me, good design should always evoke a sense of pride and occasion. I hope these uniforms give the same sense of joy to those who wear them as I felt designing them,” she said.

Onboard trials of the uniforms will begin in May 2025 before a full fleet-wide introduction in 2026. Air New Zealand joins several global carriers — including British Airways and Emirates — in unveiling refreshed uniforms, reflecting a broader trend in aviation to update staff attire in line with modern values and aesthetics.

L’article Air New Zealand unveils new uniforms celebrating Aotearoa’s identity est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Others have suggested the slogan sounds like a complaint about queues for the toilet, while still more have said it implies people should be fleeing New Zealand – poor messaging as the country is in the midst of an emigration crisis and visitor numbers remain below pre-pandemic figures.

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Targeting Australian visitors

The marketing strategy, which cost NZ$500,000 (around €274,000), is designed to address those low visitor numbers, particularly from Australia. The key short-haul source market provides around 44% of New Zealand’s visitors but is currently still around 12% down on 2019 levels. With humour perhaps targeted at Australians then, the campaign leans heavily on irony and juxtaposition. 

New Zealand’s striking landscapes are pictured, with visitors wonderstruck next to waterfalls and cycling on mountain trails. Over the images, in choppy white upper case, the slogan “EVERYONE MUST GO!” appears, next to starburst callouts adding: “Even you” and “Don’t miss out”. The aesthetic seems a deliberate reference to the type of posters that accompany bargain basement sales.

So-called non-harmonious “bastard elements”, which break with usual themes and layouts, are sometimes used in advertising to grab attention, however, in this instance, the ploy has Kiwi viewers and opposition politicians bemused.

Overcrowding versus record emigration

Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, Labour’s tourism spokesperson, responded with disbelief, arguing: “I mean, it makes New Zealand sound like we’re in a clearance bin at a sale,” which, she claimed, echoes how many Kiwis feel amid sweeping government austerity measures.

Meanwhile, Green Party tourism spokesperson Celia Wade-Brown said: “‘Everyone Must Go’ might refer to the need for toilets in some of our high-tourist spots. I mean, the queues are ridiculous.” Tying her comments to criticism of tourism numbers and spending in New Zealand, she said there are “too many people here for too short a time. They don’t go kayaking, they don’t go diving, but, my goodness, they queue at the toilets.” 

Overcrowding, though, is probably the least of New Zealand’s worries right now. According to emigration data from Statistics New Zealand, 131,200 people had left New Zealand by Q3 last year – a record high causing one X user to observe: “Everyone Must Go” campaign: “Already a highly successful campaign: Tens of thousands of Kiwis have already gone.”

Net migration seems to be strengthening again and interestingly the net flow of NZers out is turning around. The NZ unemployment rate should also be peaking relative to Australian unemployment. This should further encourage kiwis to stay as the year wears on. pic.twitter.com/krb7yvUwzV

— Kelly Eckhold (@kellyenz) February 16, 2025

Open for tourism and digital nomads

But Louise Upston, minister for the community and voluntary sector, has defended the “Everyone must go!” campaign in a press statement. “What this Tourism New Zealand campaign says to our Aussie mates is that we’re open for business, there are some great deals on, and we’d love to see you soon.” 

It is the second announcement in recent weeks that seeks to tempt visitors to the southwestern Pacific island country. New visa rules announced in January now permit remote workers, or so-called “digital nomads”, to stay in New Zealand for up to 90 days.

L’article New Zealand’s latest tourism campaign slammed for sounding like a clearance sale est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Taranaki Maunga (or Mounga in the dialect local to the region), is the second-highest peak on New Zealand’s North Island and, like Japan’s Mount Fuji, is a distinctively symmetrical, snow-capped, volcanic cone. The Māori from the Taranaki region hold it as sacred in accordance with their belief system (like other First Nations people elsewhere) that natural parts of land and waterscapes are ancestral living beings.

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Righting historic injustices

The mountain was given a colonial name (Mount Egmont) by explorer James Cook during the 1700s and in the 19^th century it was effectively confiscated from New Zealand’s indigenous population along with over a million acres of land in a breach of the founding treaty of modern New Zealand, the Treaty of Waitangi. Now, the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill aims to acknowledge the injury this caused by that breach.

Though access to the mountain, which is said to boast some of New Zealand’s most popular walking trails, will remain unchanged, the new agreement attempts to provide redress for historical injustices inflicted upon the Taranaki iwi and give them back more say in the management of the resource.

We must acknowledge the hurt that has been caused by past wrongs, so we can look to the future to support iwi to realise their own aspirations and opportunities.

Paul Goldsmith, negotiating government minister for the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill

Formal apology

As well as officially giving back the mountain’s ancestral name (Taranaki Maunga) and renaming and protecting the surrounding national parklands, the parliamentary bill comes with a formal apology for the way the indigenous people were treated. Hundreds of Māori attended parliament to mark the occasion and sang traditional waiata as the bill was passed into law.

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“Today, Taranaki, our maunga, our maunga tupuna [ancestral mountain], is released from the shackles, the shackles of injustice, of ignorance, of hate,” Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, co-leader of the Te Pāti Māori political party, told press. The settlement recognises that the mountain “never was a crown asset” Ngarewa-Packer added. “It is the living, breathing embodiment of our identity.”

It is the third time in New Zealand’s recent history that parts of the natural world have been given legal personhood. The first was in 2014, when the Urewera native forest gained the recognition, while the second was the Whanganui River, given personhood status in 2017.

L’article Ancestral mountain in New Zealand awarded legal personhood est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

After 90 days, New Zealand taxes may need to be paid on income earned during the stay, but, according to Economic Growth minister Nicola Willis: “We’re not going to be checking out how many emails they’re sending and how many days they’re spending working. We just want them to be here and spending their hard-earned money.”

The change will enable many visitors to extend their stays, which will lead to more money being spent in the country.

Erica Stanford, New Zealand Immigration Minister

“We won’t get rich selling to ourselves”

It’s a move designed to combat a post-Covid-19 recession in New Zealand, whose tight border closures were admired by some around the world but led to what HSBC has labelled the biggest economic contraction of any developed nation. Even by 2023 the country’s tourist sector – its biggest export – remained nearly 8% down on pre-pandemic revenues.

The idea is to bring in “more wealth and super-talented people” Willis explained. The relaxed visa rules will be heavily promoted among highly-skilled IT workers from the US and East Asia, who, Willis argued, have roles that “connect them to powerhouse firms and industries globally” and “won’t be competing for Kiwi jobs” she added. Putting it bluntly, “We simply won’t get rich selling to ourselves,” she told press.

“A short-term sugar hit”?

Voicing criticism of the visa change, shadow Economic Development, Infrastructure and Finance Associate, Barbara Edmonds, noted the lack of economic projections to support it and implied that foreign workers were being treated better than New Zealand’s own. The country slashed 10,000 public sector jobs in 2024 and told civil servants to get back to the office.

“With one hand she’s begging foreigners to come here to work from home, while implementing strict policies on Kiwi public servants to stop them from doing the same,” Edmonds said in a Labour press release. “We need real long-term solutions for economic growth that provides the jobs of Kiwis, not a short-term sugar hit.”

Digital nomad visas around the world

New Zealand is not the only nation reducing visa bureaucracy and bringing in so-called “digital nomad” permits in a bid to boost its economy and reconnect with the outside world. Notable examples include China, which had one of the longest and toughest Covid lockdowns anywhere, as well as Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Portugal, and Spain.

However, some of those countries are now experiencing such popularity with visitors that overtourism is becoming a problem. Over 30% of visitors to Japan said they had felt the negative effects of crowds last year. And in Spain, tourists have been targeted with unwelcoming graffiti and protests about their impact on local housing markets. Given that digital nomads are more likely to take up short-term rentals than stay in hotels for the duration of their trip, their effect on rental prices could be argued to be worse than “ordinary” visitors.

L’article New Zealand relaxes visa rules to attract digital nomads and boost tourism est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Active Investor Plus Visa debuted in September 2022, when it replaced previous investor visas in the country. It was designed to attract valuable investors to benefit the local economy, with applicants being allowed to live, work and study in the country indefinitely if meeting the requirements. Those requirements included investing between NZD 5 million (€2.7 million) and NZD 15 million (€ 8.1 million) over the course of four years, being in good health and of good character, spending 117 days in New Zealand across the four-year residence period and demonstrating English language ability.

While during its prime time, investor visas brought in NZD 1 billion (around €545 million) per year, that amount has significantly declined since the 2022 reform. Since then, only 25 applicants have been approved by the country, totalling NZD 352 million (€191.8 million) in investments. One of the reasons for that drop is no doubt the minimum investment amount being upscaled from NZD 3 million to NZD 5 million. Moreover, some previously popular investment options are no longer eligible, such as bonds and property.

“We are conscious that the last government changed those settings, and we saw a marked decline in the number of investors. You can expect to see announcements from us on that in the coming weeks”, said Finance Minister Nicola Willis about the upcoming changes to the program.

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What those changes will entail precisely, hasn’t been shared just yet. Some of the reforms will however include an acceleration of the investment applications for foreign nationals and changes to the legislation to emphasise that the nation requires foreign capital in order to achieve its economic objectives.

According to Willis, the visa isn’t just about bringing more wealthy internationals to New Zealand, “It’s also the networks, the expertise, the experience, the ideas that they bring with them. There are many examples throughout the country where investor migrants, while they may make initial investments, then go on to make other investments and become more engaged in the economy in a range of ways which are helpful.”

Willis finally stated that Immigration Minister Erica Stanford would provide a report about whether or not the currently obligatory English-language test could be abolished in the future.

L’article New Zealand looking to attract wealthy foreign investors with renewed Golden Visa Program est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.