New Explore More Christchurch Depot Opens In Wake Of Vehicle Rental Company's Exponential Growth

Sept. 3, 2008 - PRLog -- Low cost vehicle rental company Explore More is opening its third depot tomorrow after a year of exponential growth for the new business despite petrol price rises and falling tourism numbers.

The new Christchurch depot is located in the heart of the city at Worcester Street's Cathedral Junction and will complement the two existing depots at Christchurch Airport and in Auckland City. A fourth depot is due to open at Auckland Airport in the next few weeks.

The additional depots are part of a raft of expansions the company has made, in order to keep up with its massive growth since launching a year ago in a tough market. The Explore More rental fleet - which provides campervan hire (http://www.exploremore.co.nz/campervan-hire-new-zealand.aspx ) and car rental (http://www.exploremore.co.nz/cheap-car-rentals-nz.aspx ) for travellers on a budget - has grown by nearly 400 per cent over the course of its first year. Strong growth continues with the fleet planned to double to 800 vehicles by the end of the year. Originally opening with one car and one campervan rental option, there are now nine different car, sleepervan and campervan options. Staff numbers have also risen, growing fivefold to 35, compared with just seven staff a year ago.

As well as providing great service and value for money, Explore More's point of difference is its positioning as a "Kiwi to the core" company, which strikes a popular chord with its local and international customers. Especially favoured is the naming of its vehicles after nicknames for iconic New Zealand locations such as the Tron, Gizzy (http://www.exploremore.co.nz/cheap-car-hire-new-zealand.aspx ) and Rotovegas, The latest edition to the Explore More fleet, 'The Franz', after popular tourist spot Franz Josef, are each individually named after Kiwi slang, with names like Choice Bro, Not even ow, and Sweet as.

The new Christchurch depot opening underlines that Explore More was a calculated risk that has paid off according to EX Group General Manager, Sue Sullivan. "We launched into a tightly packed vehicle rental market that was facing falling tourism numbers and economic downturn, but we have ensured the success of Explore More through positioning ourselves over and above our competitors in the areas of value, vehicle selection, availability and service," says Sullivan.

Tourism Holdings Limited's CEO, Trevor Hall says the expansion of the company is very exciting in the face of such challenging times. "Explore More has not only met all of its annual financial objectives but also sustained huge growth within its first year, which is an achievement that we are incredibly proud of, particularly in what are currently tough tourism conditions and we look forward to continued growth in the future".

Explore More & The EX Group:
Explore More is a vehicle rental company offering low cost rental cars and campervans to backpackers and independent travellers. Explore More is the newest addition to New Zealand's premier tourism company, Tourism Holdings Limited (listed NZX:THL on the New Zealand Stock Exchange). The EX Group is one of the four major divisions of THL, which Kiwi Experience, Feejee Experience and Explore More fall under. For more information about Explore More campervan and car rentals please visit http://www.exploremore.co.nz/

For further information or images please contact:

Leanne Frisbie
Account Director
Mango Communications
Ph: +64 21 221 9876 / +64 9 306 1800
Email: hollym@mangocommunications.co.nz