Santa hits world’s top destination
The Christmas period normally means things are busy, busy, busy - but spare a thought for Father Christmas, who takes busy to a new level each December. Not only is he flying all over the world in one night this year, he is also paying a flying four-day visit to the world's top travel destination, Milford Sound in New Zealand...
The Christmas period normally means things are busy, busy, busy - but spare a thought for Father Christmas, who takes busy to a new level each December. Not only is he flying all over the world in one night this year, he is also paying a flying four-day visit to the world's top travel destination, Milford Sound in New Zealand...
Recently named the world travel destination by TripAdvisor, Milford Sound is a fiord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island.
TripAdvisor said that, despite the current economic crisis, rising fuel costs, environmental concerns and airport chaos, travelling was still as popular as ever.
"What the destinations have in common is a something special that makes them truly exceptional in the eyes of travellers around the world," TripAdvisor European Communications Manager, Ian Rumgay, said.
"Despite dire predictions about economic downturns, rising fuel costs, environmental concerns and airport chaos, travellers continue to beat a path to destinations such as these that have that 'X factor'," he added.
Located within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site, Milford Sound is acclaimed as New Zealand's most famous tourist destination and has even been called the eighth wonder of the world by author Rudyard Kipling.
Running 15 kilometres inland from the Tasman Sea, Milford Sound is surrounded by sheer rock faces that rise 1,200 metres or more on either side.
Among the peaks are The Elephant at 1,517 metres, said to resemble an elephant's head and Lion Mountain, 1,302 metres in the shape of a crouching lion.
Lush rain forests cling to these cliffs and seals, penguins and dolphins splash in the waters.
This year, Father Christmas will be swapping his sleigh for a boat and will be greeting passengers and children on the Milford Sound Red Boats Wharf from December 20th to 24th.
He will be meeting people travelling on the Red Boats' 1.15 pm and 1.30 pm Encounter and Scenic Cruises, and hang out at the world-renowned underwater observatory Milford Deep from 10am to 3pm each day.
Milford Sound already attracts more than 550,000 each year despite its remote location - it is four hours drive away from the nearest cities of Queenstown and Invercargill.
Red Boats Marketing Manager Margie Slattery-Smith said, "It's been a challenging year for many people so Santa's flying visit will be an added bit of fun for kids, their parents and the Milford staff, most of whom will be working at Christmas and hundreds of thousands of kilometres away from family and friends."
Father Christmas will be leaving on the evening of December 24th to fulfil other commitments (!)
Picture by brokearts