Queenstown hotel bookings for Rugby World Cup 2011 were going
well so far, New Zealand Hotel Council Queenstown chairman
John McIlwain said.
Mr McIlwain, general manager of Rydges Lakeland Resort
Queenstown, said the Rydges group had decided not to enter
the Rugby World Cup 2011 official accommodation bank (OAB).
"Forward bookings are good. We have pre- and post-Rugby World
Cup tours already booked," he said.
Rugby World Cup Ltd chief executive Martin Snedden said 230
hotels across New Zealand had received confirmed bookings for
the tournament dates valued at $55 million.
"This is a great start and underscores the tremendous
economic benefits the tournament is bringing to New Zealand,"
he said.
The OAB was created two years ago to meet the tournament
accommodation needs for the teams, officials, and sponsors
and to provide assistance to the official travel and official
hospitality agencies bringing customers to New Zealand.
More than 300 hotels nationwide had joined the OAB.
New Zealand Hotel Council chairwoman Jennie Langley said more
accommodation options were likely to become available in
September-October this year.
"Rooms in many hotels are still being held in the RWC
official accommodation bank, to ensure that all players,
officials and guests travelling with the tournament's
official travel agencies have rooms.
"But as it becomes clear where there is excess capacity,
rooms are being released from the official accommodation
bank, which means they will be available to the general
public," she said.
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