Plan to get tourists back to Kaikoura

Dusky dolphins off the coast of Kaikoura as seen from a Whalewatch Kaikoura boat. Photo / Supplied

The Government will re-double its promotion of the "Alpine Pacific Triangle" to get tourists back to quake-hit Kaikoura, Hanmer and Christchurch.

The route has been on the New Zealand tourism schedule for some time but instead of completing the triangle, many travellers from Christchurch have tended to continue north from Kaikoura to Blenheim, Picton or Nelson.

With the main road north of Kaikoura likely to remain blocked through the summer, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce said the Government would encourage tourists to instead take the scenic route back to Christchurch via Hanmer.

As soon as the two roads south of Kaikoura re-opened "in probably a few weeks not lots of weeks", the Government would join local tourism bodies to promote the triangle.

"People at all three ends are talking about the resurrection of the Alpine Pacific Triangle where you'd have Christchurch, Kaikoura and Hanmer Springs all working together.

"I think it's an entirely do-able concept for tourism and certainly so does Christchurch Airport and some of the other key players on the island. So they're already working on plans as to how they're going to work on it once those two roads have reopened."

Speaking from Kaikoura on Friday, Joyce said he had no doubt the tourists would want to visit the town as soon as they could.

"It's one of the most unique tourist attractions in New Zealand in terms of the whale watching and the dolphins and so on. It's always been a way-point on the road but I think what we're going to be looking at ... is getting people to think of it as a destination at the top point of that triangle."

Many of the region's businesses have been struggling because of the dearth of tourists during what should be their busiest time of year.

The Government announced on Friday that it would extend its relief package for quake-hit businesses from eight to sixteen weeks.

But a great deal of uncertainty remains about what the long-term impacts will be on the region.

Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism chief executive Vic Allen said revitalising the Alpine Pacific Triangle was a straightforward way of helping to secure the future of the region's tourism.

"This has been talked about ever since the earthquakes by ourselves, the Hurunui District tourism operators, the Kaikoura and Hanmer tourism people. The thing is, it's a product that you can put out there and sell. We've got a lot of passengers coming into Christchurch now and this is a very nice touring route they can do, and it means the fact they can't go beyond Kaikoura isn't so much of an issue.

"It's a very nice complimentary trip because you've got the whales, seals and dolphins at Kaikoura, then you've got the natural hot springs at Hanmer. On the way home you've got the Waipara wineries so it's a lovely journey."