Destination Queenstown and budget Australian airline Jetstar are considering a jointly funded marketing campaign for Queenstown across the Tasman and have already completed preliminary talks on the project.
Following last week's announcement that Jetstar would be taking over Qantas' domestic services in New Zealand, Jetstar's commercial manager of operations arrived in Queenstown from Melbourne for talks on Jetstar's future with the resort.
A second marketing campaign meeting has been arranged for next month.
A strong commitment has been made by Jetstar [to come here]," DQ chief executive Stephen Pahl said.
"We're wanting to co-operate on this [marketing] and see it start soon."
He confirmed a cross-marketing campaign, possibly with Jetstar funding some of the costs, had been discussed, looking at both a marketing campaign strategy and "technical plans".
"Jetstar are willing to invest and we'll be looking at a whole range of marketing variables," Mr Pahl said.
Late last year, Queenstown Lakes District Council approved a contentious $1 million increase to DQ's budget, from $1.8 million to $2.8 million, estimated to prompt a an increase of more than 50% in commercial and accommodation rates.
DQ said at the time the funding would be used to market the region in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
It was proposed that 80% of the additional $1 million funding would go to leveraging joint venture consumer marketing, such as partnering an airline or Tourism New Zealand, and conference promotions in Australia, 10% would go to staff resources to manage the Australian market and the remaining 10% would be used to increase DQ's domestic shoulder season campaigns.
