Naturist park going off in NZ tourism awards

 03.06.2008

 

By Graham Skellern

 

A Katikati holiday park is living up to tourism’s 100% Pure New Zealand branding.

The guests, from overseas and around the country, wear no clothes during their stay _ mind you, they will put on a top if they are getting sunburnt or the weather turns chilly.

Katikati Naturist Park in Wharawhara Rd has been named as one of 29 national tourism awards finalists, and will contest the visitor accommodation category along with six other operators.

The naturist park, run by owners Kevin and Joan Sampson, is joined by Waihi Beach Top 10 Holiday Park, boutique operator Stafford Villa in Auckland, budget hotel Nomads Capital in Wellington, and upmarket hotels and resorts Grand Mercure St Moritz in Queenstown, Holiday Inn Wellington and The Langham, Auckland.

 

 

The Sampsons, who opened the 3.5ha park more than 12 years ago, are delighted to be among such distinguished company. “Over the years we’ve had positive feedback from our customers and we’ve tried to run the park in a professional way,” said Mr Sampson, a former Treasury economist.

“We’ve sunk a lot of money in the property, and we wanted to see how we stacked up against other operators,” he said.

The park has chalet and cabin accommodation, and sites available for camping, caravans and motor homes.

In the financial year ending March 31, the Sampsons hosted more than 3000 visitors, representing 13,000 guest nights. They have had visitors from 17 countries, staying an average of four nights, and can accommodate up to 200 people at one time, particularly in the busy January and February summer months.

Mr Sampson said the national judging process was very rigorous. They sent off a six-page expression of interest in February and after being accepted in to the second round, they then had to fill out a 26-page document detailing their business.

The national finalists were named at Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand (Trenz) in Rotorua, and two judges will make a three-hour site visit to Katikati within a fortnight. The winners will be announced at a Tourism Industry Association NZ gala dinner in Christchurch on August 5.

Waihi Beach Top 10 Holiday Park, operated by Ian and Vicki Smith, was last year named the best holiday park in the country _ but this time the Smiths have competition from the naturists just down the road.

Whakatane-based White Island Tours is also a national finalist, for the second year running, in the visitor activities and attractions category.

The coastal Bay of Plenty region has an unprecedented three national finalists, the same as Destination Rotorua.

Tim Burgess, general manager of Tauranga-based Tourism Bay of Plenty, said that having three finalists was “`massive. Those businesses are judged against the very best in New Zealand _ they are not soft awards.”

He said the finalists helped give the region a national profile.

 

 <http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3774474&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=>

NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE UPDATE: California: San Onofre State Beach

NATURIST ACTION COMMITTEE  UPDATE

 http://www.naturistaction.org

 

Copyright 2008 by the Naturist Action Committee, which is responsible

for its content. Permission is granted for the posting, forwarding or

redistribution of this message, provided that it is reproduced in its

entirety and without alteration.

 

DATE   : June 1, 2008

SUBJECT: California: San Onofre State Beach

TO: Naturists and other concerned citizens

 

Dear Naturist,

 

This is an Update from the Naturist Action Committee. NAC is making you aware of recent developments, favorable and unfavorable, that are part of a serious threat in the state of California.

 

A VERY BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

 

As detailed in the NAC Action Alert of May 21, 2008, Ruth Coleman, Director of California’s Department of Parks and Recreation, has abruptly terminated the Department’s application of the Cahill Policy to clothing-optional portions of San Onofre State Beach in San Diego County. The Cahill Policy has been used successfully for decades as a management tool for clothing-optional areas within California State Parks.

 

The specious justification being given by CA Parks for the selective revocation of Cahill at San Onofre State Beach is that doing so will eliminate illicit sexual activity that occurs primarily on an adjacent military beach. The recision of the Cahill Policy would pave the way for park rangers to issue citations for simple nudity on the State Beach under Title 14, Section 4322 of the California Code of Regulations.

 

For a more detailed history of the situation and specifics of the Cahill Policy, please refer to the NAC Action Alert of May 21. You will find it on NAC’s Web page: www.naturistaction.org Look under “ALERTS.”

 

NAC THANKS YOU FOR WHAT YOU’VE BEEN DOING!!

 

In its NAC Action Alert of May 21, the Naturist Action Committee asked for your specific action in sending correspondence to CA Parks Director Ruth Coleman, opposing the revocation of the Cahill Policy at San Onofre. Your response has been overwhelming. Thank you!

 

Many hundreds of you have copied NAC on your correspondence. The quality and thoughtfulness of what you’ve written is gratifying. And the volume has been impressive. Director Coleman’s office in Sacramento reports a significantly “increased work load” as a direct result of your letters, faxes and e-mails.

 

IMPORTANT: CONTINUE CONTACTING THE CA PARKS DIRECTOR

 

If you have not yet contacted the CA Parks Director, it’s not too late. We won’t repeat the full details here, but you can find information on contacting the Director (and suggestions for what to say) in the NAC Action Alert of May 21, 2008. You will find the Alert on NAC’s Web page: www.naturistaction.org. Look under “ALERTS.”

 

 

WHAT HAS NAC BEEN DOING?

 

The Naturist Action Committee took swift action at the onset of this situation and is continuing that action.

 

1)  NAC has submitted to CA Parks a formal request for an

administrative stay on implementation of this abrupt change

in policy.

 

2)  NAC has made multiple Public Records requests for documents

pertaining to this situation and the administrative action

surrounding it.

 

3)  NAC has retained a specialized lobbyist to assist and advise

in the area of regulatory procedure.

 

4)   NAC has retained an attorney specifically for this matter

and has begun the process that will ultimately result in

civil action against the State of California and the

Department of Parks and Recreation.

 

5)   NAC continues working closely with Friends of San Onofre

Beach, the local user group. Together, NAC and FOSOB

staged a rally at the beach on May 24. Together, NAC

and FOSOB met face-to-face with CA Parks officials on

May 29.

 

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

 

Rangers had been told to begin “educating” beachgoers, starting June 1. The initiation of that exercise has been delayed by the insignificant period of a day. The issuing of citations for nudity in the traditional clothing-optional area was initially set to follow after 30 days. Now, CA Parks has delayed that action to commence after Labor Day.

 

Of course, neither of these is a meaningful or acceptable response to the concerns of naturists.

 

WHAT IS NAC ASKING YOU TO DO?

 

1)  Stay informed. NAC will continue to issue Action Alerts,

Advisories and Updates on this issue as circumstances

require. Look for them.

 

2)  If you haven’t already done so, write to the Director of

the California Department of Parks & Recreation.

It’s not too late.

 

3)  *THIS IS IMPORTANT!* Keep going to the beach at San Onofre,

and keep using it in the traditional clothing-optional

manner. CA Parks is attempting to intimidate beachgoers

into simply evaporating. We must NOT allow that to happen!

 

4)  If you are approached by a ranger on the beach or in the

parking area, make a detailed note of the encounter,

including the date, the time, the ranger’s name and what

was said. E-mail your account to:

sanonofre@naturistaction.org

Do not be combative or confrontational, but you may make

it quite clear that you are taking notes.

 

MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

 

Additional information and links are available, along with this NAC Update on the web site of the Naturist Action Committee.

 

http://www.naturistaction.org

 

Select “Alerts” and find this NAC Update under Current Updates.

 

 

PLEASE HELP NAC TO CONTINUE HELPING NATURISTS!

 

NAC is committed to the defense of traditional clothing-optional use of public land. Not surprisingly, hiring lawyers and lobbyists is a very expensive part of such a necessary defense. NAC does not have a membership roster on which it can assess dues. NAC relies entirely on the voluntary support of people like YOU.

 

Won’t you please send a generous donation to:

 

NAC

PO Box 132

Oshkosh, WI 54903

 

Or call toll free (800) 886-7230 (8AM-5PM weekdays) to donate by phone using your MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card. Or use your credit card to make a convenient online donation: http://www.naturistaction.org/donate/

 

Thank you for choosing to make a difference.

 

Naturally,

 

Allen Baylis

Board Member

Naturist Action Committee

 

—————————————————————

Naturist Action Committee (NAC) – PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903

Executive Dir. Bob Morton

- execdir@naturistaction.org

Board Member Allen Baylis

- rab@baylislaw.com

Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick  - naturist@sunclad.com

—————————————————————

 

 

 

Thank you for choosing to make a difference.

 

Naturally,

Allen Baylis, Board Member

Naturist Action Committee

—————————————————————

Naturist Action Committee (NAC) – PO Box 132, Oshkosh, WI 54903

Executive Dir. Bob Morton – execdir@naturistaction.org

Board Member Allen Baylis – rab@baylislaw.com

Online Rep. Dennis Kirkpatrick – naturist@sunclad.com

—————————————————————