Tourism stories
Visitors will get a simpler way to book campsites and park passes as Western Australia replaces its ageing system with Bookeasy by mid-2027.
The trial could trim energy use at a site that welcomes about 17 million visitors a year, while helping meet its 2030 carbon-neutrality target.
Travellers now face a fast-changing maze of entry forms, fees and bans, with iVisa's free tracker logging 97 rule changes across 61 countries.
Travellers in 21 markets can now plan and book whole trips in one chat, as Agoda's mobile app adds live prices, flights and hotels.
More merchants and online retailers in Georgia can now take American Express, widening card choice for local shoppers and visitors.
Travellers can now get local guidance, community chat and four daily safety updates in one app, though it is no substitute for official sources.
Repairs to one of Waikato's best-known walking tracks have finished in time for summer, but the bill has climbed to NZD $420,000.
Visitors at London landmarks will now be able to pay with Discover and Diners Club cards, as Merlin broadens acceptance across its global attractions.
Travellers can now book flights and hotels through GoGlobe's Seol assistant in about 1.8 seconds, after it linked to live inventory across 600 airlines.
Commuters from Rangiora and Rolleston could be back on passenger rail by mid-2027, but councils must still agree funding and fares remain unclear.
Visitors to 33 Mackenzie toilets will pay $1.50 a visit from Waitangi weekend 2027, as the council shifts costs onto tourists.
Residents are being asked whether to keep funding the ageing theme park as Hastings District Council weighs service cuts to ease rates pressure.
A temporary fix to a flood-damaged bridge could cost more than $300,000, as the council races to reopen the route before Christmas.
Travellers in Queenstown will now test a beta app that links trip planning with local businesses, community initiatives and destination context.
Auckland residents could soon face blocked harbour views and added noise if a 32-metre ferris wheel is approved for Queens Wharf.
More than 3.3 million PayMe users can soon use HSBC RedCoin for instant transfers and merchant payments, as Hong Kong tightens its digital asset rules.
Cyclists can again use the remote route after seasonal work and seven wider crossings improved safety before summer.
Residents will hear updated advice on whether stopbanks and infrastructure at Franz Josef can withstand the Waiho River's shifting flood risk.
Visitors to Cathedral Cove could regain access before Christmas as a new reroute is set to cost $121,000, well below the 2024 estimate.
North Canterbury councils warn the cap could delay bridge and road work, forcing hard choices for small ratepayer bases and freight links.
