Destination Queenstown

A 21-minute film showcasing Queenstown's skifields, back-country skiing and skydiving has won Best Picture in the Outdoor Film Festival in China - with the exposure the beginning of a "10-year project" to increase visitors to Queenstown during winter.

Queenstown has secured several key visitor industry events for next year, demonstrating the resort's growing appeal as a business tourism destination.

The Southern Lakes region - including Queenstown, Wanaka and Fiordland - has cracked the Lonely Planet's Top 10 Regions in its Best in Travel 2012, published today, the only New Zealand region to feature in the new book.

It's been a stormy 10 months so far. In this week's Wakatipu Echo, Destination Queenstown chief executive Tony Everitt says the forecast for summer is for the rain to ease and the sun to appear, but that tourism operators should keep their umbrellas handy, just in case.

Vinotourism may be the next big thing to hit Queenstown if a special forum being held in Queenstown next week is anything to go by.

Lower guest-night figures for July show that despite the welcome arrival of snow, Queenstown and the wider Otago region were still suffering in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes.

People in England and Ireland have been bombarded with glowing reports of Queenstown from players and media representatives attending the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

A request by the New Zealand tourism industry that the next government stimulate domestic tourism is backed by two Queenstown tourism chiefs.

Simon Green has been reappointed as director of the Queenstown Winter Festival but will take on an expanded role of Destination Queenstown events manager.

As hard times hit Europe and the United States, New Zealand tourist operators are being urged to turn their attention to China. But how ready are New Zealanders to deal with such a radical change in culture? Mark Price reports.