Global push for NZ's tourism rebound

V-Tour Zhejiang Travel Service delegate Mike Shao (left), who lives near Shanghai, discusses...
V-Tour Zhejiang Travel Service delegate Mike Shao (left), who lives near Shanghai, discusses which Wakatipu products to promote to his Chinese customers with Destination Queenstown chief executive Tony Everitt, during the first business day of Trenz,...

A major global push is under way to spread the message New Zealand is open for business, and tourism leaders are confident inbound tourist numbers will rebound to levels before the Christchurch earthquake.

They are hopeful the winter sports season, the Rugby World Cup, a favourable exchange rate and extra flights from emerging affluent markets will lead the rebound.

Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) chief executive Kevin Bowler, Tourism Industry Association chief executive Tim Cossar, and Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism chief executive Tim Hunter spoke to about 60 national and international journalists attending the first day of the Trenz travel expo in Queenstown yesterday.

Most of the country was unaffected by the February 22 disaster in Christchurch and the South Island's gateway city was on the road to recovery, they said.

Mr Bowler said TNZ was trying to counter the "dramatic photographs" of the quake and subsequent rebuild through traditional media and new media campaigns.

Funds that would have been spent on television advertising three or four years ago were now being spent on a revamped Tourism NZ website, to be ready by the end of June.

Marketing was refocused to encourage potential overseas visitors to shift from "desire to action" to visit New Zealand.

Research found 20 million Americans expressed a desire to visit but had yet to realise New Zealand was the trip they should take next, Mr Bowler said.

Mr Bowler said operators could expect to see strong improvements in the Chinese and Asian markets in the second half of this year, with improved air services from China Airlines, Jetstar, Air Asia X and China Southern Airlines.

Additional capacity was expected from Air New Zealand, from China and Japan, plus Malaysian and Thai airlines this year, as well as United Airlines' Houston to Auckland link in November 2012.

Mr Bowler said he was "incredibly confident" about the Rugby World Cup, which was expected to attract 85,000 fans for the six-week tournament of 48 games.

The "red carpet experience" would be rolled out to the more than 2000 journalists reporting the tournament.

Mr Cossar said the Christchurch disaster, "put the industry back a little way", but there was an opportunity to re-create "a fantastic destination", and tourism needed to have an active involvement in the city's redevelopment.

Mr Hunter emphasised to journalists what was and was not open, with about 16 city blocks still off-limits. It would be six to nine months before 17 central hotels could be accessed, he said.

However, Mr Hunter said some attractions were reopening, including Christchurch Casino (May 26), the Canterbury Museum and Christchurch Art Gallery (both July 16), the Christchurch to Picton Tranz Coastal train (August 15) and Cashel Mall and Cambridge Tce (October 29).

There were 13,500 beds in the city before the quake and now there were 7100. However, Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism believed it could still accommodate tourists, and urged visitors to spend at least one night in the city.

 

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