Use bikeways, says US ad - featuring NZ photo

Explore Massachusetts! It looks a lot like Auckland! Photo / Twitter

A US state tourism department has mistakenly used a photograph of Auckland's Tamaki Drive bike path to promote its scenic cycle paths.

It's a picturesque scene well worth promoting.

But the photograph Massachussetts' official website has used to attract cyclists, is not the riverside of Boston, but the sandy shores running alongside Tamaki Drive.

The posting below the image says: "Summer is here, and for cyclists, it's time to get ready to ride.

"Cyclists love Massachusetts because of the beautiful scenery and variety of terrain available across the state.

"If you're new to Massachusetts or to cycling, you're in luck. The Commonwealth has plenty of great trails and path to ride."

Information attached to the photo reveals that it is an image that can be downloaded from two stock photo websites.

The image has been used by New Zealand media outlets on their sites.

When contacted by the Boston Globe newspaper over the blunder, Massachusetts government officials were not available for comment.

The Globe reported that many of the photos on the blog, "if not all", appear to be stock photos.