Tourism Minister and Taupo MP Mark Burton will this morning (Tues) present a cheque to support the Thermal Explorer Highway touring route.

Mark Burton will also unveil one of the new touring route signs, on SH 1, north of Taupo.

The Thermal Explorer Highway runs for 450 kilometres from Auckland to Hawke's Bay. The funding of $68,832 comes from the Minister's Tourism Facilities Development Grant Programme.

"With the upgrading of existing signs and the adding of new ones, every traveller on this route will be aware of the Thermal Explorer Highway brand and the touring route concept," Mark Burton said.

"The grant, which I announced in January, is a demonstration of this Government's determination to encourage worthy projects which contribute to regional development, and which come from and continue to have the strong backing of local communities."

The project is being managed by the Thermal Explorer Highway Marketing Group, which comprises all the Regional Tourism Organisations along the route - Tourism Auckland, Tourism Waikato, Tourism Rotorua, Destination Lake Taupo and Hawke's Bay Tourism.

"Most of the local authorities that lie along the route have also provided funding support," Mark Burton said.

"The Thermal Explorer Highway is an excellent example of what can be achieved when local communities, central and local government combine with a common purpose."

Today's cheque presentation was arranged by the Thermal Explorer Highway Marketing Group following the installation of the new signage.