An international tourist attraction is about to open at Paengaroa that will set a new national benchmark for visitor experience, says Tourism BOP's chief executive officer Rhys Arrowsmith.

Before: the site this week.

After: An artist's impression of what the site will look like soon.

The Comvita Experience is designed by Story Inc, a Wellington-based design team that also created the Rotorua Arts Museum, the New Zealand Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, the America's Cup Pavilion in San Francisco, and others (See: http://www.storyinc.co.nz/).

'For this region, it is going to set the new benchmark on world class visitor experience,” says Rhys.

'What it means for us is exceptional hosting – and an experience that is not a ‘warm bath' experience. [It will be] Something people leave with a clear understanding of what they have learned. They have learned something and they have experienced something quite special.

Rhys says the visitor experience is going to be a benchmark not only for this region, 'but for New Zealand, as a leader in the field of meeting the new visitors' expectations around experience”.

The Comvita Experience officially opens November 27, but it is open unofficially for business from November 7, and people are already being advised to book for the tour.

'We are calling it an iconic New Zealand experience and I think it's going to be great – it's really going to be different,” says Comvita chief operating officer Scott Coulter.

'I think there's nothing like it on the market. It's going to tell the story of New Zealand and nature, using the world's first virtual beehive.

'Our focus really is on explaining nature and wellness, and also the life and the virtual bee story. So it's going to be a great experience – and I think a really good opportunity for the Bay to tap into a growing tourist market, the Asian market, and in particular, the Chinese market.”

The attraction is aiming at the Asian tourist stream from Rotorua, but Paengaroa's location half way between Tauranga and Rotorua also makes the Comvita Experience an attractive stop-off for cruise ship passengers out of Mount Maunganui.

'The big potential market is China, and that's where a lot of focus is at the moment, and it will give a really good experience to people who come in on cruise ships,” says Scott, who points to website Comvita.com for people to book the attraction.

'The reception's been really positive, a lot of tour operators are booking in already.”

But with opening day looming, the site is still looking a bit like a war zone, says Scott.

'It's like watching those programmes on house building. The longer you leave the photograph the more finished it's going to be.

'It's really big structurally, and we've done a lot with road and the landscaping around the visitor centre. So it's quite impressive. It's going to be great for Paengaroa and the region.”