Proper planning will help to avoid any nasty surprises and ensure your holiday is a success. Booking holiday insurance is top of the agenda to ensure you’re covered should anything go wrong.  A good insurance company will give you maximum peace of mind so that you and you family can carry on with enjoying your holiday.

Once you’ve got your insurance sorted, you’ll need to decide how you’re actually going to travel around New Zealand once you get here. New Zealand car hire can be an inexpensive way to get around that gives you a large amount of freedom. Otherwise, you can choose a motorhome holiday (motorhomes and campervans are the New Zealand RV) so that you and your family can travel in comfort without worrying too much about your next accommodation venue.

With your insurance booked and your mode of transport selected and ready to go, you’ll need to plan your itinerary through checking out the great tourist places that you’d like to visit. If you love the sea, you could take a look at the Harbour Cruise packages on offer, try some Auckland fishing or experience one of New Zealand’s famous whale watching tours.

If firmer ground is your thing, don’t worry as there’s a huge array of other tourist attractions to view in the NZS.com directory.

Flickr image credit: myklroventine

Knowing that you’ve scored a great deal will start your holiday on a high and you’ll enjoy your hotel all the more for it.

You’ll also have more spending money so that you can get some proper sightseeing in during your stay.

Plus, of course, nothing beats sitting next to fellow holiday makers around the hotel swimming pool and gloating about the great deal that you found – just try not to make them too jealous!

So if you’ve got your annual trip across the ditch to Australia coming up, check out our article on hotel accommodation in Australia and find yourself some cheap flights and hotel deals to get the best accommodation and travel deals.

All you’ll have to worry about then is remembering to pack your toothbrush and the sun screen!

Whether you’re looking for cheap travel insurance packages for the whole family’s international travel, or you want to make sure you’re covered for New Zealand travel insurance when holidaying domestically, browsing the range of options can help you find the best deal and the most suitable cover.

For holiday insurance and direct travel insurance without added travel agency fees check out the travel section in the NZS.com directory.

A wonderful shiny new decade has arrived, so we just wanted to wish all of you a safe and prosperous 2010.

Whether you already have a bunch of New Year’s resolutions up your sleeve or you’re simply chill-axing and taking the new year as it comes, be sure to enjoy the break (if you have one!) and soak up the fine Kiwi summer.

If you’re looking for things to keep yourselves and the kids occupied over the break there are plenty of great ideas to be found in the NZS.com directory, from attractions across New Zealand to ideas for events, and accommodation options if you’re looking to away for a couple of days.

Be sure to keep checking in with us over the coming year as we roll out some exciting new developments and more great content on NZS.com.

Whether you’ve had your Christmas shopping sorted for months or you’re still deciding who in your family will be hosting the typical NZ Christmas dinner this year, NZS.com has you covered with a whole host of great Christmas ideas and tips to help you save money at Christmas and make the most of the holiday season.

The Christmas holidays may still be some weeks away, but office Christmas parties are already in full swing, which may mean participating in a little “secret Santa” shopping at the last minute.

If hitting the mall and finding some great Christmas gifts and the best toys for Christmas is your next priority, consider doing some of your shopping online to reduce your stress and help you avoid impulse purchases.

As for the silly season and Christmas Day traditions, why not get in to the spirit of things by sending out real Christmas cards (not emails), or by baking up a storm with some delicious Christmas recipes? And if you’ll be celebrating a Christian Christmas with the family this year, you could even get together with members of your church to sing some traditional Christmas carols at a local rest home to spread some holiday cheer.

Of course, the Twelve Days of Christmas doesn’t start for another couple of weeks so you’ve still got a little time up your sleeve to hang your Christmas pictures and sort your Christmas trees and decorations.

Good luck with your NZ Christmas planning! Be sure to keep checking NZS.com as more Christmas articles, hints and planning ideas are added over the following weeks.

Whether you’re looking for a holiday house or bach to spend a couple of weeks relaxing with the family, or a luxury retreat to indulge in the upcoming New Year’s festivities in style, the list of NZ accommodation options is huge for NZ travel buffs.

Make the most of the excellent online travel resources while researching your holiday, and book your NZ accommodation online now to grab some great travel deals.

And while you’re searching, why not check out the fantastic selection of NZ attractions available at your holiday destination? With so many great places to stay, sights to see and adventures to be had, your next holiday is bound to be a great one.

Christmas and the summer holidays are right around the corner, meaning lots of Kiwi families will be opting for an adventurous camping NZ holiday.

Getting out and seeing New Zealand’s great outdoors doesn’t have to mean roughing it though. If you’d like to experience New Zealand your way, why not opt for a campervan rental, so you can take care of your travel and accommodation in one easy hit.

A campervan NZ road trip is one of the best ways to see the countryside, while also being able to take the comforts of home with you while you travel. Whether you’re exploring the north or the south during your camping NZ summer holiday, getting behind the wheel of a campervan or motorhome will offer you the best of both vacation worlds.

The Rotorua pools are a popular destination for tourists and travelling Kiwis. Rotorua may be one of the tourism destinations of New Zealand with its unique mix of adventure and therapeutic attractions, but there’s no doubt the spa Rotorua experience is at the top of all visitors’ lists.

If you’re planning a mini-vacation, a weekend away or a longer break during the off-peak season, check out the Rotorua pools and soak up the serenity.

There are tons of great winter packages around this time of year, with many fantastic off-peak season bargains leaving more mini-break cash in hand for a spot of shopping.

Modern hotels offer the ultimate in style and comfort, so whether you pick somewhere close to home or you decide to get out of town for a few nights, pamper yourself and select one of the luxury hotel rooms on offer around New Zealand to unwind and spoil yourself.

Make a luxury hotel booking

online now for a romantic mid winter weekend away, a girls or blokes getaway, or to take some luxurious time out just for you.

For more ideas on winter packages and mid winter getaways check out the NZS.com

directory.

The 6-month position will pay $180,000 NZD, and has created so much interest that the job application site has crashed today after over 800,000 visits since Monday. Technicians were forced to boost the site’s server capacity several times this morning, as applicants uploaded their one-minute video applications by the dozen.

The position is not a competition and is a genuine job listing, requiring legitimate caretaking tasks as well as the more leisurely activities which must be regularly completed. The caretaker will also get to live rent-free in a $6 million villa, and will need to report back on their experiences via blogs, video diaries and media interviews.

Launched as a viral marketing ploy to draw intention to Hamilton Island as a tropical holiday destination, it is estimated that the campaign will generate $85 million NZD worth of publicity worldwide.

Image from Flickr.