Agents channel Gatsby for 101 in Art Deco
A dozen Aussie travel agents handpicked by Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia travelled to the North Island’s Hawke’s Bay region as part of their All Stars mega-fam this week.
Situated just an hour flight from Auckland, Hawke’s Bay welcomes 1.2 million tourists annually, with the popular Art Deco township of Napier the main attraction – and we can see why.
It’s unusual, to say the least, to see a city centre decked out in theme – let alone Art Deco – from the architecture, street and shop signage (it has the only Subway in the world with an Art Deco inspired design) to the neighbouring homes which have maintained its heritage.
But this is what is perhaps what tourists to Napier find most interesting – the city’s heritage only dates back to only the 1930s.
We discover the history of the region in dapper style by taking an Art Deco Vintage Car Tour in classic 1938 American Packards hosted by its Trust members and learn the region was hit with a devastating earthquake and subsequent fire in 1931 leaving much of the area in rubble.
The only positive side effect of the quake was it created more land mass, leaving locals good reason to rebuild the city – and with the emergence of the Paris-led Art Deco movement making waves across the globe during the Great Depression era, our guide and Napier local Tony Mairs tells us the decision to rebuild the city in its theme “offered the people a new beginning”.
However, Hawke’s Bay is more than just Gatsby inspired architecture and design, it’s also home to some of New Zealand’s finest drop.
The agents enjoyed a ‘behind the scenes tour’ of one of its most revered, Church Road Winery, which also happens to be the region’s third oldest, followed by a guided bike ride around neighbouring vineyards.
The All Stars mega-fam with 400 Aussie agents continues across the country this week to educate and train agents on being able to market and sell New Zealand as a ‘must-do’ destination.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
air new zealand new zealand nz nz all stars nz must do tourism new zealand virgin australiaLatest News
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