Flurries of excitement are in store for Southland families as tickets for the 17th ILT Kidzone Festival, 13 to 18 July 2022, are now on sale. Themed ‘Winter Wonderland’ and returning to Southlan... read more

A new Community Wellbeing Co-ordinator will be instrumental in connecting the Fiordland community with mental health and wellbeing support as it continues to deal with the effects of COVID-19... read more

It is with great sadness that we share the news Great South Chief Executive Graham Budd has died from a suspected heart attack. This news has come as a huge shock to the entire Great South... read more

A climbing invitational and a ukulele festival are two new events to be held in Te Anau that have benefitted from the third round of the Fiordland Regional Event Fund. The... read more

Bluff community stalwart Tammi Topi has been contracted by Great South to drive forward grand visions for the Southland town of Bluff. Great South facilitated the Bluff Motupōhue 2020 Tour... read more

Great South has appointed Mark Frood as GM Tourism and Events for a fixed term through to June 2023. The appointment is to cover for Bobbi Brown, who is on secondment as project lead for B... read more

For more information about border opening dates visit covid19.govt.nz The Government’s announcement that vaccinated Australians can enter New Zealand significantly earlier than anticipated is ex... read more

A new $3.77 million government fund is being made available to help Invercargill businesses using fossil fuels for heating to make the change to low-emission energy sources. Great South is... read more

Progress is already underway on at least half of the projects in a 20-year visionary plan for Bluff Motupōhue. Great South has facilitated the Bluff Motupōhue 2020 Tourism Master Plan,&nbs... read more

Like pasta is to Italy, so is the Bluff Oyster to Southland, and a new strategy shows how Southland could become a food travellers’ paradise - just like the European nation. The Southland... read more

Great South is excited to announce the launch of the You Won’t Want to Miss Southland Events calendar on its promotional website southlandnz.com. The digital calendar features 34 of Southl... read more

A survey of visitors as they departed Rakiura Stewart Island last summer season shows 93% intend to return. More than 3000 surveys were collected as visitors departed the island at Halfmoo... read more

More than $550,000 has been distributed to events in Fiordland and Southland since April this year from the government’s Regional Event funds administered by Great South . A total of $180,000 ha... read more

Range anxiety, cost, and battery lifespan and environmental concerns around replacement are the main reasons Southlanders have been slow to make the move to electric vehicles, a study commissioned... read more

Great South’s highly successful space operations business has grown to an extent that on 1 October 2021 it will become a stand-alone company, Space Operations New Zealand Ltd. It’s an... read more

More than 250 Summer jobs at more than 20 workplaces across Southland are up for grabs at the inaugural Southland Summer of Work. The event is an online job fair to connect Southland stude... read more

Newly appointed Visit Fiordland Manager Stu Cordelle is excited to be returning to work in the “absolutely stunning” region. With 30 years in the tourism industry, Cordelle has most recent... read more

International marketing for Fiordland and Southland is set to improve, with the formation of a new International Marketing Alliance (IMA) comprising only the two Southland regional tourism or... read more

Applications for round two of the Southland and Fiordland Regional Event Funds are now open. A total of $472.500 remains available for events in the region after $287,500 was allocated in... read more

Great South Destination Development Manager Amie Young was awarded the Dark Sky Project Bright Star Award at the Royal Astronomical Society of NZ’s annual conference in Wellington this month.... read more

Southland has the potential to both meet the New Zealand Government’s ‘net zero’ emissions target by 2050 and retain a positive economic position, a new report shows. The Net Zero Southlan... read more

Great South is pleased to announce Robin McNeill has been appointed general manager of its Space Operations programme. Newly appointed Great South Space Operations GM Robin McNeill ... read more

A marketing alliance set up to ensure the success of the Auckland to Invercargill jet service has proved successful. Great South partnered with Air New Zealand to deliver the ‘Speechless i... read more

An event to match job seekers with available job opportunities aims to help address the current shortage of workers in Southland. Now in its fifth year, the Great South Job Search 2021 (pr... read more

‘Adventure’ is the apt theme for this year’s ILT Kidzone Festival, which after a year in hibernation is venturing to a new location. Presented by Great South, the popular family festival a... read more

Fiordland’s brilliant night sky could soon be as much an attraction to domestic and international visitors as its stunning daytime scenery. Great South has been working with the Fiordland... read more

The government’s regional events funding has assisted the organisers of 11 events across Fiordland and Southland with a total of $287,500 allocated in the inaugural funding round. The fund... read more

Great South, and its two Regional Tourism Organisations Visit Southland and Visit Fiordland, is proud to launch a new marketing campaign for the region, ‘You’re Due South’. Created in... read more

Since its launch in December 2019, significant progress has been made on implementing the Southland Murihiku Destination Strategy, a 12-month review released this week shows.  Of the... read more

On 1 April 2021 the Southland and Fiordland RTOs will both be operated by the Southland Regional Development Agency, Great South. Both RTOs will also be undertaking a name change to position... read more

A new report reveals a positive outlook for Southland post Covid, with a population increase predicted and a full economic recovery likely by 2025. The just released Southland Region post-... read more

A new initiative to support and boost Southland’s hospitality and accommodation sector and elevate Southland’s reputation as a food and beverage destination will run from 1 April to 16 May 20... read more

Applications for the first round of the Southland and Fiordland Regional Event Funds are now open. The funding is part of the Government’s post COVID-19 Tourism Recovery package, with a to... read more

Oat milk processing is set to join dairy as one of Southland’s key industries. Great South’s work over the past 10 years has led to the development of what will be New Zealand’s first carb... read more

The Invercargill i-SITE visitor information and booking centre will close indefinitely as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The i-SITE, part of Tourism New Zealand’s official visitor info... read more

With datasets provided by Marketview and the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Great South continues to track visitor spend across the region. The information rece... read more

A new kind of gig guide is being wheeled out by Great South this summer. Featuring as many events involving wheels as possible in January and February, the Summer Wheels guide is a... read more

A plan with a range of concepts to support the revitalisation of Bluff over the next 20 years is now open for public consultation. Facilitated by Great South, the draft Bluff Motupohue 202... read more

Great South is holding two free one-day information sessions in Te Anau this month for those wanting work in hospitality and tourism over the summer. The sessions, where local hospitality and touri... read more

Great South is playing an essential role in the next launch by Peter Beck’s Rocket Lab company. The North Island launch, scheduled for Monday 16 November at 3.00pm, will send 30 s... read more

An expo designed to help migrants find work in Southland is being held on Wednesday 18 November. The Expo, organised by Great South and hosted by the Southern Institute of Technology (SI... read more

With datasets provided by Marketview and the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Great South continues to track visitor spend across the region. The information rece... read more

The countdown is officially on to the 15th Burt Munro Challenge, with registrations for the largest rally in the southern hemisphere opening today! Set to be held from the 10 – 14 Februa... read more

Plans to name a proposed merger between the Otago Chamber of Commerce and Otago Southland Employers Association ‘Business South’ is a real concern for Great South, Southland’s Regional Develo... read more

Media Statement from the Southland Regional Leadership Forum The Labour Party’s policy to negotiate an extension to the life of the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter and support a Just Trans... read more

Great South is continuing to gain momentum as New Zealand’s only ground station operator with a new antenna opened today highlighting the organisation’s commitment to New Zealand’s future spa... read more

Four new directors are set to join Great South, Southland’s Regional Development Agency, and help lead the region’s recovery and future growth. Jason Franklin, Jeff Grant, Peter Heenan a... read more

In recognition of the significant impact of COVID-19 upon Fiordland’s tourism industry and the area’s employment, Great South has appointed a Fiordland Employment and Resource Planner. Glyn Saund... read more

With Rakiura now an official International Dark Sky Sanctuary, Great South is helping those with an interest in developing a night sky tourism product to learn more about the skies above. Great S... read more

For the last few months, the Great South team has been utilising Marketview data to assess Southland's tourism industry. Marketview uses in-person card transaction data to identify key trends in visit... read more

Great South is excited to be increasing collaboration with Invercargill city centre retailers with Shru Shrivastava, the Invercargill City Council City Centre Coordinator, now at Great South on a seco... read more

With a nation-wide lockdown, school closures and the evolving impacts of COVID-19, Southland students have had their fair share of unexpected change for the year. To help students cope with this... read more

Showcasing the opportunities that are available to Southland youth, Great South’s career explorations programme Southland Youth Futures has partnered with Invercargill Central to host fortnightly tour... read more

Helping to share and capitalise on opportunities associated with Southland's unique food stories In 2019 the Southland Murihiku Destination Strategy for 2019-2029 was developed as a blueprint for... read more

The Great South Job Search for 2020 highlighted the extensive range of employment opportunities and support available for job seekers across the Southland region. The free employment expo was hel... read more

Southland’s leaders remain united in their approach to prioritise an extended transition period for the Tiwai Aluminum Smelter. On behalf of the Mayoral Forum, Gore District Mayor Tracy Hicks is... read more

A Regional Skills Leadership group for Southland has been established to provide advice and prepare for the region’s changing labour market, particularly in light of the challenges facing the region a... read more

Making it easier to connect and learn, Techweek 2020 is going digital with Southland presenters helping to contribute to a jam-packed line-up. Techweek is an annual event which celebrate... read more

A free expo later this month will provide much-needed support to Southland’s labour force. Southlanders looking for employment advice and opportunities are being encouraged to attend... read more

The Southland Regional Development Agency’s efforts to encourage resilience across the Southland business community have received a boost with additional funding via the Regional Business Par... read more

International travel may be off the cards but ‘overseas’ adventures can still be had right here in Southland! ‘Overseas’ trips to Stewart Island/Rakiura, the region’s unique landscape and awe-ins... read more

From the Southern Scenic Route to the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail and some of the best of Southland’s spots in between, the region has been relishing its increased exposure on the national stage.... read more

Air New Zealand’s direct A320 jet service between Auckland and Invercargill resumes today. The airline’s first flight from Auckland to Invercargill lands at 12:40 pm, with the return departing In... read more

The region’s commitment to establishing a welcoming and supportive environment for newcomers been formally recognised by Immigration New Zealand. Earlier this week, Invercargill City Council, Gor... read more

Following the Government’s announcement of the national Tourism Recovery Package and support for Regional Tourism Organisations, Air New Zealand has confirmed that an A320 jet service will operate bet... read more

A significant allocation of funding for Southland’s Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) is set to play a pivotal role in the sector’s rebuild. Today the Government announced up to $20.2 million... read more

After close to twenty years in the role, Great South’s Creative Projects Manager is lowering the final curtain. This Friday will mark the last day for Great South’s Creative Projects Man... read more

Great South partnered with Infometrics Senior Economists, Brad Olsen and Nick Brunsdon, to host a webinar on the impact of COVID-19 and the different recovery scenarios specific to the Southl... read more

With Alert Level 2 promising more freedom to reconnect with friends, family and travel, there is no better time to rediscover the secrets of the south!   Southland’s Regional Devel... read more

With tracing and testing capacity essential to the eradication of COVID-19, one Southland company is leading the way with their innovative traceability application. Inspired by an obvious need to... read more

Southland’s Regional Development Agency, Great South, is supporting calls for the Government to allow interregional travel from Alert Level 2. Great South Chief Executive Graham Budd said,... read more

Local businesses – they are the heart of our region’s economy and after weeks in lockdown, it is time to show them some love. That is the call from Southland’s Regional Development Agency, Great So... read more

As Southland prepares to move to Alert level 3, the initial regional economic impact of COVID-19 upon Southland businesses is being assessed. Southland’s Regional Development Agency, Great South, i... read more

In response to the COVID-19 situation and to take the necessary steps to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of visitors to the region, the Invercargill i-SITE is to become a virtual service fro... read more

Aligning with the Government’s approach to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 by cancelling mass gatherings, Great South has made the difficult decision to cancel two of its major events for 2020. The... read more

Great South is committed to identifying what support your business needs to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. To understand the impact on your business and identify how we can provide support, we... read more

The outbreak of coronavirus is a fast-evolving and unprecedented situation.  As Southland's regional development agency, we are committed to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing... read more

Encouraging winds of change and innovation for Insol Ltd A desire to challenge the status quo and deliver solutions not available anywhere else has encouraged one Southland business to embark on a... read more

The future for Southland youth is looking bright with the extension of one of the region’s leading career exploration programmes. Southland Youth Futures, an initiative led by Great South to increa... read more

Great South’s career exploration programme, Southland Youth Futures, regularly promotes local entry-level vacancies to highlight the range of employment opportunities available for Southland youth. ... read more

As part of the approach to proactively support Southland in its transition to a low emission future, Great South hosted a panel discussion on the tools and initiatives available across the region to m... read more

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is congratulating 10 local councils and their communities for their success in implementing the Welcoming Communities programme. This includes Gore District Council, I... read more

Great South has today released a profile of Southland’s emission sources for the 2018 calendar year. The information highlights the annual rates of greenhouse gas emissions for the Southland region... read more

As the world's fifth International Dark Sky Sanctuary, and only the second island sanctuary in the world, dark sky status is seeming to provide even further motivation to travel to Stewart Island/Raki... read more

Southland’s future labour market has received a boost thanks to a cash injection from the Provincial Growth Fund. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones today announced $1.55 million fr... read more

Southland’s involvement in the international space sector is set to be boosted by a local student’s innovative idea.  Along with juggling study, NCEA exams and part-time work, 16-year-old Gore... read more

The future is looking great with a clear plan announced to drive economic and social growth for the Southland region. Great South – Southland’s regional development agency – has today revealed its... read more

Plans to encourage Southland’s continued tourism growth have received a significant boost with the launch of the Southland Murihiku Destination Strategy. The Strategy, which was unveiled today by G... read more

Great South’s Board of Directors have appointed Graham Budd as the organisation’s Chief Executive. Currently Chief Executive for Destination Queenstown, Mr Budd has previously held a number of exec... read more

Following ‘Cruise Ready’ seminars that were held in Bluff and Stewart Island last week, Southland is looking ahead to the 2019/2020 cruise season. Two seminars were hosted by Great South in partner... read more

To gain insight into the Southland business environment, Great South is undertaking the annual Southland Business Survey for 2019. The survey, which opens today, provides a channel for local busine... read more

2 Day High Intensity, High Impact Lean Business Course Led by internationally renowned Lean consultant Clinton Yeats Up to 25% increase in team productivity Perfect as an introduction to Lea... read more

A new kiosk at the Invercargill i-SITE is enticing visitors to relocate to Southland. The new migration kiosk, which was set up last week, provides access to employment opportunities across the reg... read more

A pōwhiri, high tea and entertainment provided by local cultural groups have marked the launch of the Southland Welcoming Communities Programme. Following involvement in Immigration New Zealand’s W... read more

28 cruise ships are currently scheduled to dock at Stewart Island or Bluff ports during the 2019/20 cruise season, equating to potentially 11,000 cruise passengers between November and March and an es... read more

Southland is rolling out the welcome mat. Following involvement in Immigration New Zealand’s Welcoming Communities pilot, the Southland Murihiku Welcoming Plan will be launched on Wednesday 18 Sept... read more

Celebrating twenty years of park performances, Shakespeare’s popular tragedy, Macbeth, has been selected for the 2020 production of Shakespeare in the Park. The annual Bard fest is scheduled to be... read more

To highlight the extent of career opportunities available in Southland our Southland Youth Futures Programme has been busy coordinating workplace visits for students across Southland. Ever wondered... read more

Planning for Southland’s continued tourism growth is a main priority in the development of the Southland Murihiku Destination Strategy.  The strategy will provide a blueprint for Southland’s d... read more

The new flights present significant opportunities for Southland businesses! Here's what you need to know to make the most of the opportunities they bring: The flight schedule  ... read more

On August 26, Invercargill Airport became the first regional airport in New Zealand to host a regular jet service with the establishment of direct flights between Auckland and Invercargill.  E... read more

On Sunday 25th of August, Invercargill Airport will become the first regional airport in New Zealand to host a regular jet service with the arrival of the inaugural Air New Zealand flight between Auck... read more

Some of Southland’s international students now know the true meaning of manaakitanga. On Saturday 17 August, 26 international students were hosted on Murihiku Marae for the opportunity to learn mor... read more

That's the call from Great South and to make it happen they are holding a product development workshop, aimed at established Southland businesses and startups entrepreneurs, on the 17th October. Th... read more

A significant drop in the number of Southland youth not in employment, education or training is being celebrated across the region. Statistics New Zealand has estimated that the number of NEETs (yo... read more

The final leg of an electric vehicle journey around the world took place in our very own region. On Friday 19 July the iconic Bluff signpost was the finish line for Wiebe Wakker’s 100,000km low emi... read more

The future is looking great with an exciting new identity revealed to drive Southland’s regional success. Today marks the first official day of trading for the Southland Regional Developme... read more

Southland Regional Development Agency (SRDA) Chairman Ian Collier has announced the appointment of an interim chief executive to lead the newly established Southland regional organisation.   ... read more