AUCKLAND (PINA)— Bora Bora, French Polynesia; Musket Cover, Fiji; and Vava’u, Tonga are included in a New Zealand initiative to attract more super yachts and their wealthy owners and friends.
The initiative, called Voyage Pacific, is being promoted from New Zealand as a spin-off from its continuing hold on yachting’s prestigious America’s Cup.
During the 1999-2000 America’s Cup series scores of super yachts made the trip to the Pacific. This was so their wealthy owners and friends could follow the months of racing in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.
Lane Finley, the executive director of the New Zealand Marine Export group, said the message to the super yachts is that the Pacific is the playground and New Zealand the workshop.
The New Zealanders want the super yacht owners to station their boats in the Pacific longer rather than returning to Caribbean and Mediterranean ports.
The boats can be maintained and supported from a New Zealand base as their owners do cruises in the Pacific islands, he said.
Voyage Pacific takes in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands as well as Bora Bora, Vava’u and Musket Cove.
Auckland is becoming one of the world’s major ocean yachting centers.
The America’s Cup syndicates are based there for the next attempt to take the cup from New Zealand. Such events as the Volvo round-the-world race have also made Auckland a stopover.
Super yachts are able to moor in a downtown waterfront area of restaurants, cafes, nightclubs, bars and accommodation next to the shopping and business district.
