If your clients are travelling on a limited budget, New Zealand is the perfect destination for getting great value for money. Here are a few tips for making even the smallest budget stretch a long way.

A first-world nation with a high standard of facilities, New Zealand offers excellent, inexpensive options for accommodation, transport and activities.

Long, mild summers and the appeal of the great outdoors mean that New Zealanders have a long history of exploring their own backyard on no-frills road trips or hiking expeditions. In fact, the family camping holiday is practically a national institution! The country is well suited to any traveller who wants to get the most out of their money.

Accommodation

Finding inexpensive accommodation is easy in New Zealand. Of course, backpacker hostels are a popular choice for budget travellers. From dorm rooms to comfortable private rooms complete with bathrooms, hostels suit a wide range of travellers from individuals to families. Hostels are increasingly well equipped: as well as kitchens to make self-catering easy, many have internet facilities, TV lounges, barbecues and even swimming pools. Styles range from clean but simple to shared facilities that border on sheer luxury. And many hostels enjoy a great location, central to entertainment and services. Of course, hostels are an excellent option for solo travellers wanting to socialise with fellow travellers along the way, but they are also perfect for couples and families who want to save on accommodation costs. When selecting the appropriate hostel accommodation for your client, look for the Qualmark: the Qualmark Backpacker category grades hostels and budget hotels on a scale from one to five stars. The Youth Hostels Association of New Zealand (www.yha.co.nz) offers affordable accommodation for travellers of all ages, and Budget Backpacker Hostels of New Zealand (www.bbh.co.nz) is a network of budget accommodation providers. Both offer a range of discounts to members.

Camping is another excellent option for budget travellers. A hugely popular summer pastime for New Zealanders, camping is a great way to save money and enjoy a quintessential Kiwi experience. Whether your clients are renting a campervan in New Zealand or sleeping in a tent, they’ll find camping grounds offering a good standard of facilities and a pleasant setting. But it’s not all camping at camping grounds! Many also offer great value cabin, chalet or motel accommodation. Popular camping grounds that have been enjoyed for generations of Kiwis are often set in prime natural locations, such as beside a beach or lake, and generous landscaped grounds, usually with a playground and sometimes even a swimming pool, mean they are perfect for families. Facilities range from a basic shared kitchen, bathroom and laundry, to a superb standard at great value. Look for the Qualmark Holiday Park category to help you select the right option for your client. To find out more about camping grounds in New Zealand, contact Holiday Accommodation Parks of New Zealand (www.holidayparks.co.nz) or Top 10 Holiday Parks (www.top10.co.nz). If your clients will be staying at multiple camping grounds, consider the possibility of Top 10 Club Membership. For NZ$40 they will enjoy a 10% discount on all Top 10 Holiday Park accommodation.

Transport

Being a relatively small country makes New Zealand easy to get around – even for budget travellers – and even if your clients prefer to focus their attention on a portion of the country, such as North or South Island, they’ll encounter a myriad of different landscapes and activities along the way. A variety of options makes it easy for you to find the perfect mode of transport for your clients.

Renting a car or campervan enables maximum flexibility. The expense of renting a vehicle is counterbalanced by increased choice when selecting accommodation, enabling visitors to stay in motels outside the city centre. With a campervan, of course, accommodation is part of the package so your clients will only need to pay for a site at a camping ground. For a group of people travelling together, such as a family, renting a vehicle is a particularly cost-effective option.

If your client would prefer not to drive, New Zealand offers a network of coach transport. For the ultimate convenience and savings, bus passes are a good option. Flexi Passes allow travel by the hour on a nationwide network, while the Travelpass enables travel between two designated points but allows the passenger to hop on and off along the way. Another option for travelling by bus is to join a specialised bus network. Ideal for independent travellers looking for a social experience, operators such as Magic Travellers Network and Kiwi Experience offer bus transport that explores more unusual regions. Purchasing a pass on these networks usually allows the traveller to get on and off as they please and often includes discounts on backpacker accommodation and activities.

Activities

Whether your clients want to explore the urban lifestyle of New Zealand’s cities or get back to nature on a hiking trail, there are lots of ways for them to make their money go further when it comes to finding things to do. In all parts of the country, there are inexpensive and even free options to keep visitors entertained. Walking is, of course, a great way to discover the country without spending money – fortunately, New Zealand has the kind of landscape that makes even a simple forest or beach walk feel like an extraordinary experience. Many museums and galleries around the country may be visited free of charge – or for a nominal fee – or your clients could buy a takeaway coffee and take a walking tour of significant sights and architecturally significant buildings in any one of New Zealand’s cities or towns.

Saving money from day to day is a great way to ensure that your clients have enough funds to experience some of the truly unique activities that make New Zealand famous. Unforgettable experiences like whale watching, bungy jumping, heli-skiing or black-water rafting are worth every cent!