For Immediate Release – November 4, 2009

New Zealand’s made the cut to be named in Lonely Planet’s prestigious Best in Travel publication for 2010.

New Zealand was picked by Lonely Planet authors, staff and travellers as one of the Top 10 Countries to visit in 2010.

Also featured on the list are El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Portugal, Suriname and the USA.

Lonely Planet pokes fun at itself for recommending New Zealand as “too obvious, right?”

“But there’s wisdom in the old saying, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, and last time we checked the land of Maori and hobbits it certainly didn’t need repairing,” the guide says.

It lists New Zealand essential experiences as being “as strong as ever,” from spectacular landscapes and wildlife to Maori culture and food and drink. It also singles out New Zealand for praise in spearheading eco-travel and for its ethos towards responsible travel.

“Being singled out as one of the Top 10 Countries for 2010 by Lonely Planet is an astonishing result for New Zealand, given the competition out there from established and emerging tourism destinations,” Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton said.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2010 also features its top 10 regions and cities for the year ahead, as well as other travel lists including:

• Top 10 super cycling routes – the Otago Peninsular route is named as one of the best rides for its mixture of “scenery and sweat.”
• Top 10 places to walk your dog – Dunedin makes the cut for its “network of dog-friendly trails” around the city.
• Top 10 for twitchers – the Otago Peninsular is singled out as one of New Zealand’s hot attractions because of the region’s birdlife.

Earlier this year, readers of the prestigious travel magazine Condé Nast named New Zealand as one of their favourite destinations.

“New Zealand’s ability to continue to compete with hot new destinations is a testament to the country’s desire to deliver a great tourism experience, its innovation in creating new tourism products and its drive to improve its environmental performance,” Mr. Hickton said.

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For more information about New Zealand, visit http://www.NewZealand.com.

For updates, media information and to see our newly updated Events and Regions section, visit http://www.media.newzealand.com.

For high-resolution images, visit http://www.images.newzealand.com.

For year-round travel deals to New Zealand, visit http://www.newzealand.com/travel/getting-to-around-nz/getting-to-nz/travel-deals/canada/

Contact: Adriena Daunt                                    or                          Contact: Ruth Atherley
Tourism New Zealand                                                                    AHA Creative Strategies
Ph: (310) 857-2207                                                                      Ph: (604) 303-1052
E: adrienad@tnz/govt.nz                                                               E: ruth@ahacreative.com

For Immediate Release – November 3, 2009

Vancouver, B.C. – Things are getting saucy at Happy Planet Foods, Inc. Vancouver’s favourite premium food and beverage company is thrilled to bring a new adventure to your taste buds. Happy Planet Natural Sauces will spice up any meal in minutes with an array of international flavours from Thai Yellow Curry to Spanish Red Pepper. These new Natural Sauces are delicious and a healthier alternative, which is just what you expect from Happy Planet.

With six authentic, gourmet taste sensations to choose from, you’ll have dinner on the table in less time than you can imagine. Happy Planet Natural Sauces are available in:

• Thai Yellow Curry, with coconut curry & kaffir lime leaves
• Spanish Red Pepper, with Spanish paprika & cayenne pepper
• Indian Butter Chicken, with red chili & coriander
• Bengali Coconut Curry, with fresh cilantro
• French Mushroom Wine, with fresh cream & rosemary
• Japanese Ginger Miso, with a hint of maple syrup

All Happy Planet Natural Sauces are vegetarian and gluten-free and go great with vegetables and tofu. But fear not carnivores; you can also add chicken, beef or fish and let the sauces do the rest. Tasting is believing. The Natural Sauces are kettle-cooked and handmade in small batches with fresh, premium, natural and certified organic ingredients. Happy Planet continues to deliver on their commitment to nutritious, great tasting foods – meaning there are no preservatives, artificial ingredients, colourings or anything that you can’t pronounce.

With nothing to hide, Happy Planet Natural Sauces are packaged in clear pouches so you can see exactly what will be on your plate. Just add some protein and/or veggies, heat and enjoy. Happy Planet Natural Sauces are now available across Canada in the refrigerated or deli section of many community grocery stores (Whole Foods Market, Big Carrot Natural Food Market, Planet Organic Market, Capers Community Market, Choices Market, etc.) and coming soon to major grocery retailers. Visit www.happyplanetfreshfoods.com for quick and tasty recipes.

Happy Planet Foods, Inc. is Canada’s leading natural and organic food company. Started in 1994 in Vancouver, B.C., the company sells premium organic juices, smoothies, organic and all natural soups and sauces, as well as healthy functional shots across Canada. All Happy Planet products come from 100% natural ingredients from the best sources on the planet and are made without preservatives, artificial ingredients or colourings.

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For more information please contact Paul Holman of AHA Creative Strategies at paul@ahacreative.com or 604-303-1052.