City makes NZ top 10 list - again

Palmerston North is one of New Zealand's top 10 tourist destinations for the second year running, according to an accomodation website.

The top 20 tourist destinations in New Zealand for 2009 were collated by Wotif.com, with Palmerston North rated tenth based on accomodation booked using the popular website.

The city was ranked higher than Nelson, Tauranga, Wanaka, Hanmer Springs, and Mount Cook/Aoraki.

It was also rated the seventh most popular North Island tourist destination.

Destination Manawatu chief executive Lance Bickford said the ranking was to be expected.

"So much is going on in Palmerston North, but our perception needs improving. We will be lifting our profile over the next few years", Mr Bickford said.

Manawatu Chamber of Commerce spokesman Paul O'Brien said he knew why the city ranked highly.

"It's our centrality. We are popular for conferences, meetings, committee meetings, family reunions.

"It's the affordability... and people always say how easy our living is down here," Mr O'Brien said. In order to improve its rankings, the city had to keep repeating the story of its centrality.

He said there were just under one million people living within a two-hour drive from Palmerston North, including parts of Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Wairarapa, Horowhenua and Manawatu.

The top five destinations were Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Queenstown and Rotorua.

- © Fairfax NZ News