Carmen Hall: Time to explore NZ, our own backyard

Mount Maunganui in Tauranga is a popular spot with locals and visitors. Photo / File

I have only travelled overseas once in my lifetime . It was to Bali and part of a work stint so I am not even sure that counts.

I always had big dreams of seeing the world but my journey took a different direction as motherhood and a mortgage took over.

There was no money for trips to Disneyland, the Gold Coast or the Grand Canyon and I had to make do reading about other people's adventures to these places.

My family's holidays have always been spent in New Zealand and there aren't many parts of this country that I haven't laid eyes on.

I'm from the South Island so every year or so there is an annual pilgrimage back home to Gore. Lucky my husband is a trout fisherman and Gore is the capital of brown trout fishing and is the gateway to more exotic locations like Queenstown and Central Otago.

When my whanau reciprocates those visits I am lucky to be able to showcase our region. Tauranga has its beaches and vibrant shopping centres while Rotorua is a geothermal wonderland and has a history steeped in Maoridom.

Today this paper features a new NZME travel liftout which will bring holiday spots around the country to the fore.

Now more than ever the tourism industry and businesses need our support to get back on their feet in the wake of Covid-19.

Those sectors have faced major blows and, while there are initiatives in place, they still need help to restart their cash flows.

Tourism Bay of Plenty has launched a new website and chief executive Kristin Dunne said last month the website would support the region's tourism industry through storytelling and content to entice visitors to the region.

"I encourage anyone dreaming of an escape to the Bay to visit bayofplentynz.com - you'll fall in love with the coastal Bay of Plenty all over again."

St Faith's Church at Ohinemutu is just one of an array of attractions in Rotorua. Photo / File

Meanwhile, Destination Rotorua was rolling with its Our Element marketing campaign which encouraged residents to explore their backyard and to support local businesses.

Chief executive Michelle Templer said: ''We need more than ever to support each other as much as we can."

An extensive Horizon Research survey projecting domestic tourism market potential after Covid-19 also said more than 227,000 New Zealanders would definitely like to make Rotorua their domestic holiday destination in the next 12 months.

Let's make all of our holiday destinations local.