Rugby is an integral part of being a Kiwi and Rugby World Cup 2011 is destined to turn New Zealand into a non-stop party zone called the REAL New Zealand Festival.

The festival is a nationwide celebration of New Zealand arts, heritage, culture, entertainment, business, food and wine which will run from 9 September – 23 October 2011 to complement the Rugby World Cup schedule.

From kai Māori / native foods to fine wine, from bungy jumping to waka / canoe racing – visitors will have the chance to experience something of what it means to be a ‘Kiwi.’

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With 85,000 international visitors in the country, Rugby World Cup will showcase New Zealand to a global audience of discerning travellers – and, away from the rugby field, it’s Kiwi food and wine that’s likely to attract the most sustained interest.

Tourists hungry to sample the New Zealand lifestyle will find that Kiwi cuisine has come a long away in just a few decades – from basic colonial fare to a distinctive Pacific Rim cuisine that now vies with the best in the world.

Talented and innovative chefs combine ingredients freshly harvested from the garden, pasture and ocean, while Pacific influences, organics and indigenous foods make it unique.

New Zealand wine
New Zealand is also a premier new world wine country, producing award-winning wines. Exported to cellars worldwide, New Zealand wines reflect the terroir of clean air, fertile soils and sunshine.

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