Six Personal TravelManagers (PTMs) have explored the lesser-known west coast of the South Island on a famil designed to help them discover the beauty of the west.
The famil was one of several available to PTMs at the completion of TravelManagers’ annual National Conference in Ōtautahi Christchurch, and was hosted by West Coast Regional Tourism, Scenic Hotels, Christchurch Airport and Tourism New Zealand.
The group spent four days experiencing some of the West Coast’s most incredible scenery, from the thrilling Punakaiki Blowholes to the tranquil perfection of Lake Matheson.
PTM Anne-Maree Selmo, who is based in Edithvale, VIC, says she is already counting the days until she is able to return to the West Coast, which she describes as an incredible hidden gem.
“Even the journey from Christchurch was a world-class experience – the TranzAlpine is considered one of the world’s great rail journeys and it definitely lived up to the hype,” she said.
“From the lush green farm country of the Canterbury Plains to the snow-clad peaks of the Southern Alps, and eventually the rugged coastline of the West Coast itself, the entire journey was a ‘forever memory’ for me.”
Selmo, along with fellow PTMs Alma Araullo, Anita Coombs, Maree Evans, Allison McDonald and Lisa King were accompanied by Melissa Randazzo from TravelManagers’ National Partnership Office (NPO).
From quad-biking through dense Jurassic-like forest and ancient glacier riverbeds to soaring over the icy expanse of Franz Josef Glacier, panning for gold and even an up-close encounter with New Zealand’s rarest species of Kiwi, every moment was designed to showcase the ‘Untamed Natural Wilderness’ that makes the West Coast region New Zealand’s best-kept secret.
