They did not pull a sickie ...but they may well encourage others to do so.
Yesterday, a group of 30 Australian travel agents, part of the largest familiarisation tour of its kind to New Zealand, arrived in Queenstown.
In total, 400 agents from across Australia, split into 23 groups, will spend the next week touring parts of New Zealand. Seventyof those, in five groups, will spend their time in the resort.
The trip, organised in partnership between Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia, will see the travel agents participate in customised itineraries based on touring, cycling and ski New Zealand campaigns.
Tourism New Zealand's trade, PR and major events director Rene de Monchy said by visiting during September, agents would help sell off peak travel across the Ditch, expanding New Zealand's shoulder season tourism.
Their arrival comes on the back of a new campaign by Destination Queenstown, launched in Australia on Tuesday, which encourages Australians to pull a sickie and travel to the resort for a long weekend.
In the first 24 hours, the video, featuring Australian comedian Dan Ilic, was viewed 120,000 times.
That campaign also aims to increase numbers travelling to Queenstown from across the Tasman during spring.
New figures released by Tourism Australia showed Australian arrivals into the resort had increased 20% to the year ended July 30.
In total, 141,000 Australians flew to Queenstown over the 12 month period with the intention of staying less than 12 months.
Of those, 111,000 were Australians who came specifically for a holiday, with the remaining 30,000 arriving to visit friends and family, for business, conferences and conventions and education.
