Queenstown without the adrenaline? Sounds like a contradiction in terms, but Destination Queenstown says the travel bible Lonely Planet got it right in its latest edition, released this week, by emphasising there is more to the resort town than its "adventure capital" tag suggests.
Lonely Planet says a "new Queenstown" is emerging, with a cosmopolitan restaurant and arts scene and excellent vineyards.
"Go ahead and jump off a bridge or out of a plane, but also make time to slow down and experience Queenstown without the adrenaline," it said.
DQ's marketing general manager Graham Budd agreed, saying the book's high rating of Queenstown was a "true reflection" of what the resort had to offer.
"The message that you don't have to be an extreme adventurer to enjoy your time in Queenstown is an important one and a key part of our identity that's successfully hitting home with many visitors."
The 14th edition of the New Zealand guide describes Queenstown as "looking like a small town, but displaying the energy of a small city".
"More gung-ho visitors to Queenstown might be happiest dangling off a giant rubber band, but as they're submerged in the icy Kawarau River, they'll be missing out on some of Central Otago's most interesting vineyards just up the road.
"A glass of the area's outstanding pinot noir, or a mouthful of river water?"Mmm . . . tough choice."
Lonely Planet was considered an "objective" travel guide and an important and influential marketing tool, Mr Budd said.
"[While] we have no control over the content, we do know that next to word of mouth, guidebooks are the second most influential resource in the travel planning process."
In a recent Lonely Planet poll of 17,500 travellers worldwide, New Zealand was voted fifth most popular destination for travellers to visit next, rising from ninth place in last year's survey.
