At long last Tourism BOP has produced a well laid-out map, which will be welcomed by visitors and local people alike.

Tourism BOP manager Rhys Arrowsmith, and his team are to be warmly congratulated.
Having met Mr Arrowsmith, I'm well aware of the amount of time and effort he's put into getting things right for the first time in the last 16 years, during which successive managers showed little interest in providing our visitors with a proper map.

Previously, the official map was limited to a poorly presented map of Tauranga and Mount Maunganui while the wider Bay of Plenty was neglected to the extent that TBOP was in reality just Tourism Tauranga.

With local maps for towns from Waihi to Whakatane, and the inclusion of places like the spectacular and unique Tarawera Falls, Katikati's murals, museum and Haiku Pathway, Te Puna Quarry Park, the way to Matamata and Hobbiton and SH36 as the quickest way to Rotorua, visitors will carry word that Tauranga is a good base for exploring the BOP, which has so much to offer visitors.

This must surely be of benefit to local businesses and accommodation places.
Having been a very strong opponent of Tourism BOP lethargy towards visitors since 1997, my comment now is: 'Well done TBOP!”.

May the new welcome mat (map) please our visitors, who for too long have been regarded as cash cows to be milked with poor service.

Samuel Smith, Otumoetai.