Wellington has two of the greatest places on earth to visit according to US magazine Time.
The Zealandia eco-sanctuary and Hiakai restaurant are both listed on Time’s World’s Greatest Places 2019: 100 destinations to explore right now.
Zealandia is praised by Time for its foresight in creating a 500-acre predator-proof sanctuary which recently celebrated the birth of its 1000th Hihi chick – a major milestone for the endangered species.
Hiakai chef Monique Fiso is credited with paying homage to her Maori roots and creating a 'buzz' with the opening of Hiakai which not only serves superb Maori-inspired food but fostered new supply chains for those who want to cook with “native” ingredients.
WellingtonNZ general manager Anna Calver says being recognised as having two of the world’s top 100 greatest places by such a reputable publication as Time is a big achievement for a city the size of Wellington.
“This is a truly incredible accolade for Zealandia and Monique Fiso. They’ve both shown true vision which is paying off big-time with the sort of global recognition that can’t be bought.
“Fiso is putting contemporary Maori cuisine on the global map and making New Zealand food famous in the process.
“Zealandia shows the payoff of bold thinking. It’s an amazing success story for the city and our wildlife and provides not only an incredibly unique visitor attraction but an easily accessible place for residents to connect with nature and all the benefits that brings," says Anna.
“Their success will further boost our profile as a great destination for international and domestic visitors who are collectively worth $2.7 billion a year to the Wellington regional economy.”
