The Queenstown and Wānaka regional tourism organisations (RTOs) are working together more than ever, creating, it is claimed, both efficiencies and more marketing clout.
The co-operation even extends to their leadership, where Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods is now also chief executive of Lake Wānaka Tourism after the latter’s head of destination stepped down in March.
On July 1, Destination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism will also operate with the same annual plan.
Mr Woods said better co-operation between the organisations had been discussed for 10-plus years.
Then, during Covid, both organisations, together with the council, produced a destination management plan.
Last year, the two bodies entered a shared-services agreement where data, administration and trade and business events marketing are shared between the two.
"It makes sense because when you think about when the trade team goes to America, why would you send someone from Queenstown and someone from Wānaka, when we could actually send one person to talk about both regions?"
Now, the two organisations had adopted a fully shared services partnership, which also embraced all their marketing, media and communications activity.
"We still have two offices, but it’s one lot of staff," Mr Woods said.
"There’s 31 RTOs in the whole of New Zealand, and we do know the current minister of tourism has said that’s too many. So we’re ... showing how you can work together."
