MEDIA RELEASE : MAY 2006

For Immediate Release

General Distribution

18th May 2006

Online Tourism Specialist Ranks Number One

New Zealand Tourism Online (NZTO), a specialist tourism information Web site has been ranked number one for visits to its Web site www.tourism.net.nz in the Travel - Destinations and Accommodation category by Hitwise. This ranking was for the period January to March 2006 against other New Zealand Web sites.

This success follows on from the Hitwise Online Performance Award the company received for being the overall top Web site in the same category in 2005.

NZTO Director Cambel Ferguson says the success is due to developing a comprehensive content and online marketing strategy. "We're always looking at ways to work smarter and to keep our edge in a very competitive Internet environment."

The company's Web site is consistently ranked in the top 10 search results of all major search engines. "Without the efforts of our fantastic team and the continued support of our loyal client base, we certainly wouldn't be where we are today," adds Ferguson.

In addition, NZTO is also a finalist in the 2006 New Zealand Tourism Awards. This is the third year the company has entered and it picked up one award in 2004 and two in 2005.

"We're very pleased with our results over the last few years and our achievements reflect the integral role we play in helping New Zealand sustain tourism as the country's top export earner," concludes Ferguson.

NZTO was established in 1997 as a tourism Web site for companies operating within the New Zealand visitor industry. The company is Christchurch-based and has a team of 12.

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