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Queenstown could be one of the big winners in next year's Rugby World Cup, despite not hosting a match.
RWC 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden said Queenstown and the Lakes District bid with Otago and Southland under the "Spin It Wide" banner, a philosophy the event organisers liked so much they took it to other regions for consideration.
"The proposal we received from this end of the country ... provided a real cohesiveness - a RWC experience that would cover the whole region, not something that applied on a city-by-city basis.
"The end result was five matches, plus teams being hosted here.
"In terms of Queenstown's role within that, it isn't hosting a match [but] it's going to be a major stopping point for a huge number of visitors."
England would be hosted in the South Island for the majority of the tournament, spending 19 nights in Christchurch and three nights each in Dunedin and Queenstown.
With the team came their supporters, he said.
"I don't have any doubt whatsoever a significant number of English supporters are going to find their way to Queenstown and spend quality time here and maybe even come back a couple of times.
"Ireland will also have a very strong supporter base. We already know that [from strong ticket sales to date].
"What we thought would happen is going to happen ... [they will] come to your part of the world and enjoy it."
Mr Snedden said it was vital there was cohesiveness between the southern region "triangle", comprising Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown.
"They can feed off each other nicely ... Scotland and Argentina are in Invercargill; England, Ireland and Italy in Dunedin," he said.
"I think that's where the cohesiveness between Queenstown, Dunedin and Invercargill becomes very important."
Of the 20 teams involved in the world cup, 19 had now qualified and all but "two or three" had been to New Zealand for an official pre-tournament visit.
"Some have been two or three times.
"The really nice thing ... is that the teams understand the philosophy that we're building around this tournament.
"It's quite different from a bilateral tour ... with the RWC they're here for five or six weeks.
"They need the support of the local communities.
"That could work out for you guys in a big way.
You've only got to look out the window ... you shake your head and `think this is one of the most beautiful places in the world, why wouldn't you want to be here?'."
Mr Snedden said feedback from teams so far was primarily positive, with a good understanding of the tournament's philosophy - which was about getting "all the glitz out of it and putting it in a rural zone".
"No-one else in the RWC has put it into places like Ashburton, Wanganui, Gisborne and Masterton."
