New Zealand targets sustainability

The Tourism Industry Association (TIA) New Zealand has said that the country's travel sector can and will be made more environmentally sustainable.

Fiona Luhrs, chief executive of the association, said that it is looking forward to working with the government to develop environmental initiatives.

"The tourism industry is already committed to becoming more environmentally sustainable," she added.

"Given New Zealand's distance from key markets, we must be able to deliver on our '100% Pure' international marketing promise. By doing so, we have the potential to gain competitive advantage internationally."

The TIA states that the main factor that brings tourists to New Zealand is its natural environment, meaning that the tourism industry has a responsibility to protect and enhance the natural provisions on which it relies.

Travel is the world's fastest-growing industry and in New Zealand tourism arrivals have increased 61 per cent since 1999.

Travel Insurance - Holiday Extras insured over 750,000 people last year and were voted BEST Insurance provider and BEST website by the travel trade.