Bachelor explores Bay's hidden gems

The Bay of Plenty's latest marketing campaign kicked off last night with the region's hidden romantic gems showcased to a nationwide audience on The Bachelor NZ.

Last night's episode showed a group date with bachelor Art Green and a rose ceremony at the French Country House in Pahoia and a single date at Omanawa Falls and Bella Vista Lodge with a massage from Willow Therapeutic. The bachelorettes all stayed at Trinity Wharf. The next three episodes were also filmed in Tauranga.

Tourism Bay of Plenty head of marketing and communication Kristin Dunne said featuring Tauranga venues and attractions on the show was a "fantastic opportunity" to show off the amazing products in the Bay.

During the first two advertising breaks last night, a Tourism BOP advert screened featuring the Western Bay and Whakatane as romantic getaways.

A new website, Plenty To Love, has also been launched along with a competition for people to write love notes on the site, which puts them in the draw to win one of four romantic holidays in the Bay.

"We thought the timing with being on The Bachelor NZ as a destination, it would be a good time to launch our Plenty To Love campaign. It's all about showcasing what we have on offer in the region that's related to love and romance."

Ms Dunne said the region was already widely recognised as an ideal location for weddings, but the campaign would promote the region as a getaway for other romantic occasions such as anniversaries and proposal spots.

"We wanted to make people aware how many fantastic venues and ideas for dates we have here.

"In doing this, we found some fantastic gems we didn't know."

The show's executive producer Anna Lynch said Mediaworks was approached by Tourism BOP to film in this region and "we leapt at the chance".

"It was a golden opportunity to showcase a region that hasn't been over exposed. We relished the idea of finding hidden romantic gems in an area that is relatively unexplored.

"We were blown away by what the Bay of Plenty had to offer - not just the stunning locations but also the support and encouragement of the locals. Everyone we met was so delighted to have us there and the sun shone every day - we couldn't have asked for a better outcome."

Venues and locations would be added to the Plenty To Love site gradually.