The city's newest tourism promotion was a ‘‘tremendous initiative'', Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin said when presented with his own Dunedin passport yesterday.
Mr Chin was the first recipient of a Love the Dunedin Difference Passport at yesterday morning's launch of a Tourism Dunedin campaign to mobilise residents as hosts promoting the city's many attractions.
‘‘It is a tremendous initiative because in these times it is important we use every endeavour to gain visitors to Dunedin,'' Mr Chin said.
Leafing through the passport which gave significant discounts and other offers to residents showing the city to visiting friends and family, Mr Chin was enthusiastic about the promotion and its potential.
‘‘Often we bypass those with close connections with Dunedin - the family and friends of people living here.
‘‘This utilises the warmth and feeling that exists for Dunedin, to encourage people to come back.''
Mr Chin said he had ‘‘every confidence'' the public would ‘‘respond well'' to the promotion.
Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton said 10,000 Dunedin Difference Passports had been printed.
‘‘And I hope we will need to do a reprint soon,'' Mr Saxton said.
The potential level of public buy-in had already been demonstrated by the high level of civic and commercial support for the campaign, he said.
‘‘The support of the city council and the wider industry has been outstanding.''
