HotelTravel.com’s team has written a comprehensive collection of original travel articles covering the competition, including several on unique provinces in New Zealand where the majority of match tickets remain unsold.
According to HotelTravel.com Chief Information Officer Olivier Dombey, hundreds of thousands of Rugby World Cup tickets remain available, as many provinces have sold only a quarter of their stadium capacities.
“From the organizer’s latest figures matches in Whangarei, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, and Invercargill, all have about three-quarters of their seats left for the taking. However, the NZ-France match and the knockouts are expected to quickly sell out when the final phase of public ticket sales starts in July.
“So far, top markets outside New Zealand include Australia, Britain and Ireland, France, the United States and Canada, South Africa, and then surprisingly, Tahiti and Kazakhstan.”
There are also more than 600 events scheduled for the REAL New Zealand Festival. The excitement could be as much about a six-week nationwide festival being held alongside the rugby as the sport itself. For Rugby fans heading down under to New Zealand to take in the events and World Cup matches, check out these Top 5 Rugby World Cup travel articles plus special promotional hotel rates available exclusively on HotelTravel.com:
1) RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011 ALL BLACKS TO ROAR IN AOTEAROA BY NICHOLAS LACEY
New Zealand will host a spectacular sporting event as one of the favorites as its national side looks to claim their second crown on home soil in the seventh Rugby World Cup – which runs from September 9 to October 23, 2011.
2) RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011 ALES AND ALIMENTS IN AUCKLAND BY NICHOLAS LACEY
During the upcoming Rugby World Cup, New Zealand and Auckland in particular will host a thirsty bunch of fans. The city should be right up their street as it’s packed full of bars and restaurants that don’t have an official closing time. Check out HotelTravel.com’s guide to learn more about Auckland’s top watering holes. HotelTravel.com has also created outstanding promotional deals for Auckland hotels from US$14 per night for the 11 matches in the city.
3) AUCKALND’S URBAN COASTLINE: NORTH SHORE BY SAMIA EL-BALAWI
The area known as North Shore is made up of several towns and suburbs, both coastal and inland. Devonport was the first settlement to be established in North Shore, as well as it being one of Auckland’s oldest suburbs. Here you can explore Auckland’s highest volcano, Mount Victoria, which last erupted some 20,000 years ago. Exclusive HotelTravel.com promotional deals for hotels in North Shore are also available starting from only US$89 per night.
4) NEW PLYMOUTH: WHERE MARINE LIFE MEETS THE MOUNTAIN BY NICHOLAS LACEY
New Plymouth is a place that gets on with its business with little hullabaloo and bills itself as an eco-friendly city that heavily promotes walking and cycling, as epitomized by the pedestrian Te Rewa Rewa Bridge that forms part of the 10-km-long New Plymouth Coastal Walkway. HotelTravel.com helps you experience this eco-walk and much more with promotional rates on New Plymouth hotels starting from as low as US$95 per night.
5) WHANGAREI: WINTERLESS WOODLANDS AND WATERFALLS BY NICHOLAS LACEY
Whangarei is New Zealand’s most northern municipality in what is colloquially known as “the Winterless North” – the Northland Region – and has the honor of being one of the 12 venues for the upcoming Rugby World Cup 2011. HotelTravel.com has also created promotional deals for hotels in Whangarei from just US$144 per night.
