NZ's Tourism Holdings posts small H1 loss

WELLINGTON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - New Zealand tourism operator Tourism Holdings Ltd. (THL.NZ) reported a small first-half net loss on Wednesday on tough trading and a loss on an asset sale.

The company made a net loss of NZ$300,000 ($153,000) in the six months to Dec. 31, compared with NZ$4.9 million a year ago.

In December, the company said it had sold its 49 percent stake in bus and ferry operator InterCity Holdings for NZ$9.5 million because it was not core business.

It said it would book a loss of around NZ$3.7 million, which has been reflected in the latest result.

Tourism Holdings said trading conditions were tough due to the downturn, and it expected to post a small net profit for the full year.

It declared no interim dividend, after paying 5 cents a share last year.

Shares in Tourism Holdings closed on Tuesday at NZ$0.65, and is unchanged since the start of the year, compared with a 1.6 percent loss for the benchmark top 50 index .NZ50.

The company operates campervan rental fleets in New Zealand and Australia, tourist bus and ferry services, and tourism attractions such as the Waitomo glow worm caves and Milford Sound tours. ($1=NZ$1.96)