Update of DQ rules advanced

The overhaul of Queenstown's promotions body Destination Queenstown's (DQ) rules is well advanced.

Chairman Mark Quickfall told the organisation's quarterly members' briefing on Thursday night a working party had finished writing a new draft constitution.

The overhaul began following a motion brought to the annual general meeting in September by the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce.

The motion, carried by members at the meeting, said the rules needed to be updated because they were inefficient, outdated and an "impediment to the effective running of the organisation and its ability to respond quickly to market conditions".

Mr Quickfall said the constitution had been reviewed by the working party made up of himself, board member David Kennedy, lawyer Phil Wilson and former acting chief executive Ken Matthews.

"It does require updating.

"We agreed any changes would be to ensure the best people are selected to stand on the board and a robust set of rules govern DQ," he said.

He said the key issues were representation on the board.

A proposal was for people with specific skills to be co-opted on to the board.

Another was to change the deadline for board nominations from 10 days prior to the annual general meeting to allow for nominations to be made at the meeting.

The organisation's strategic review board would be replaced with a formal submission process to give members more input.

The draft constitution would be on DQ's website in the next month and members would be invited to provide their feedback, Mr Quickfall said.

A final document would go to a special meeting in June and be ratified by this year's AGM, he said.

The briefing was new chief executive Tony Everitt's first formal address to the organisation's members.

He outlined DQ's business plan for the coming season, which included increasing online marketing, conference and incentives activity and using the Rugby World Cup 2011 as a platform for media exposure.

Marketing manager Graham Budd said DQ was working on setting up a "live site or fan zone" at Earnslaw Park where rugby fans could watch live matches on a big screen.

A Queenstown working group was making plans to hold festival events during the world cup, which would be managed by Lakes Leisure, and hold public meetings for ideas to "dress the town".

He said DQ had spent about $1 million in the past year attracting Australian visitors.

The number of hits on DQ's website had grown consistently every month since 2008.

An average of 20,000 visitors from Australia used the website between March and July last year.

Queenstown had gained huge exposure from web advertising and movies filmed in the resort like the Bollywood production I Hate Luv Stories, which would be seen by 150 million people in the next three years.