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STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 2AM TUESDAY 29 OCTOBER 2013

Auckland one of Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Cities

Auckland has been rated as one of the world’s Top 10 Cities to visit next year in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2014, published today.

Auckland sits alongside iconic cities including Paris, Zurich, Shanghai and Vancouver in the ninth annual guide, which highlights the best trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the upcoming year.

Auckland is recognised for its cuisine, culture and coastal scenery with Lonely Planet saying: “Food, arts and exploring the coastal hinterland are all excellent reasons to extend your stay in New Zealand’s biggest and most cosmopolitan city.”

Auckland Mayor Len Brown says the accolade from the world’s number one independent guidebook is well-deserved.

“It shows Auckland is becoming known the world over as a destination in its own right, an exciting international city in a stunning natural setting, and an umissable South Pacific urban experience. The work we are doing to make Auckland a fabulous place to live and visit is paying off and putting Auckland on the map,” he says.

Auckland is praised in Best in Travel for its newly revitalised waterfront districts like Wynyard Quarter, and shopping and dining precincts like City Works Depot and Britomart.

The region’s west coast beaches, canyoning and abseiling in the Waitakere Ranges, and the Hauraki Gulf and islands, including Waiheke Island’s vineyards and kayaking to Rangitoto, are also singled out.

Auckland’s many festivals and events, its vibrant Māori and Pacific culture, and impressive line up of major sporting events also received special mention.

ATEED (Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development) Chief Executive, Brett O’Riley says this accolade adds weight to Auckland’s marketing efforts to attract domestic and international visitors to the region.

“Third party endorsements like this provide an outstanding independent platform for us to showcase all that is so special about Auckland to a global audience,” he says.

ATEED has today launched a video clip to celebrate the accolade featuring comments from proud Aucklanders, including Simon Gault, Carol Hirschfeld, Kerre McIvor, Sir John Kirwan and Jeremy Corbett. The clip is available to view on YouTube.

The Top 10 Cities were independently nominated by more than 500 Lonely Planet authors and staff and selected based on topicality, excitement and that special X-factor.

Lonely Planet’s Asia Pacific Sales and Marketing Director, Chris Zeiher, says Auckland’s inclusion in this year’s Top 10 City list is a testament to the sustained reinvention of the harbourside city.

“Auckland has evolved beyond a gateway city to become a destination for international travellers in its own right. Set against a stunning waterfront backdrop, with a foodie scene that rivals the best cities in the world and with a vibrancy that few other cities can boast – Auckland deserves its position in this year’s Top 10 City list.”

Auckland’s recognition in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2014 follows several other destination accolades in the last year, including Lonely Planet’s current New Zealand guide labelling Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf and Islands and Auckland City the top two New Zealand experiences.

Auckland is also ranked third in the world on the 2013 Mercer Scale of Global Lifestyle Cities and was named Australasia’s top destination in the 2012 World Travel Awards. Added to this Waiheke Island was ranked in the Top 10 Islands in the South Pacific in the 2013 TripAdvisor Travelers Choice Destination awards.

The Lonely Planet recognition will help to support ATEED’s marketing efforts to grow the visitor economy in line with the targets in its 10-year Auckland Visitor Plan.

ATEED – on behalf of Auckland Council – aims to double the contribution from the visitor economy, growing it to $6 billion by 2021.

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