Bangkok--16 Sep--Baldwin Boyle Group
Tourism New Zealand has launched a new culinary tourism guide to New Zealand focussing on meeting the needs of Muslim travellers.
The guide, developed with the support of the Kiwi Muslim Directory and Federation of the Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ), provides general tourism information, together with a list of 278 restaurants and cafes, from halal-certified through to those which offer vegetarian dishes or vegan cuisine.
Tourism New Zealand's Regional Manager South and South East Asia, Steven Dixon, says the guide's aim is to offer Muslim visitors a memorable visit to New Zealand and to maximise their enjoyment of the country's high quality food experiences.
"New Zealand food goes way beyond fish and chips and barbeques – our chefs have developed a distinct Pacific Rim cuisine. We acknowledge how important access to information about suitable dining options is to the overall experience of our Muslim visitors and this guide demonstrates our commitment to further enhancing New Zealand's position as a visitor destination among this audience.
"We are thankful for the continued support and guidance received from FIANZ and the Kiwi Muslim Directory. They have enabled us to provide a detailed list of certified establishments which we are confident will be useful for visitors."
He also revealed that Asian visitors from Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have been on the rise and accounted for59,168 visitor arrivals in July – an increase of 22.9 per cent from July 2015. Between the two countries, Malaysians accounted for 40,928 visitors.
Hazim Arafeh, President of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, said the Halal Food Guide provides greater reassurance to Muslim consumers and will therefore prove to be an invaluable source to Muslim tourists and business travellers to New Zealand.
Some of the recommended halal food places to try while visiting New Zealand include Burgerfuel Napier in Napier, Zealong Tea Estate in Hamilton, Grill and Shakes in Auckland, and Marrakesh Cafe in Wellington.
The tourism industry in New Zealand remains vibrant with international visitor arrivals reaching a total of 237,900 for the month of July – a 14 per cent increase from the same period last year.
The Halal Food Guide is available for download from www.newzealand.com/int/feature/halal-guide-for-new-zealand/