Tourism Dunedin along with tourism operators, the hospitality sector and accommodation providers are ready to launch a passport next week, which aims to turn residents into hosts.
A large proportion of visitors to Dunedin came to visit friends and family, and the "Dunedin Difference" passport was intended to provide incentives for residents to show off the city's attractions, Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton said.
More than 60 businesses were taking part in the passport promotion, which offered Dunedin residents a range of restaurant, tourism attraction and accommodation offers.
While some businesses already ran their own incentive schemes for Dunedin residents, many people were not aware they were available, he said.
The $250,000 campaign had been funded by the Dunedin City Council ($80,000), with the local tourism industry contributing $170,000 and "it was the most supported campaign Tourism Dunedin had ever done".
The advertising campaign for "Your Passport to Love the Dunedin Difference" would begin today, with a coupon to register for a passport to be sent to their home available for readers of Thursday's edition of the Otago Daily Times.
Dunedin residents could also collect the free passport from the Dunedin i-Site, the airport or from any of the 66 participating businesses from Thursday.
Ten thousand passports would be printed initially, with more to come if they proved popular, Mr Saxton said.
"If we can achieve more visitors to Dunedin, and the concept of hosting and being an ambassador, then that has to be good."
Passport holders would also be entitled to enter in a prize draw to win $1500 worth of rates relief for home owners or the equivalent value in vouchers for those renting.
