Google Earth zooms in on New Zealand

Google and Tourism New Zealand have announced a partnership to offer web users more information on the country's visitor attractions.

The tourist board is providing new information to the search engine for use in its Google Earth application, including the locations of visitor centres, points of interest and particularly breathtaking views.

Google Earth already allows users to zoom in on locations across the globe, but this is the first such deal that will promote the holiday opportunities available in a country.

"The 100% Pure New Zealand layer will allow users worldwide to explore the best that New Zealand has to offer, showcasing its natural wonders and tourist attractions," commented Dr Craig Nevill-Manning, head of engineering in New York for Google.

New Zealand offers a number of different holiday experiences for visitors, including city breaks in capital city Auckland, volcano exploration in Ruapehu, and skiing and snowboarding on both islands.

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