ITC Industry News Bulletin #51
This week in NZ travel news, a prediction shows just how much tourism could grow, an exhibition moves to Christchurch, and the TIA gets a new name.
TOP STORIES
Tourism figures have recently hit all time highs around New Zealand – and these statistics are only set to climb further, according to Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett.
She says that expenditure could increase by as much as 65 per cent by 2022, bringing the annual revenue to $16 billion. Bennett made these statements during the TRENZ national event in Rotorua last week, as part of the New Zealand Tourism Forecast 2016-2022 report.
At this stage, Australia is the largest source of income for the industry, but the forecast predicts that China will overtake our Tasman neighbours within the next two years.
“I encourage the sector to make use of this information which is aimed at helping the industry plan and invest strategically,” she said.
Air New Zealand brings exhibition to Christchurch
New Zealand’s national airline announced this week that it will move its ‘Air New Zealand 75 Years: Our Nation’ exhibition to Christchurch’s Canterbury Museum in September.
The exhibition began at Wellington’s Te Papa Museum, before moving to the War Memorial Museum in Auckland. More than 650,000 people have already been to see this fascinating display. As this is the first time ’75 Years’ will be in the South Island, organisers are excited to show new audiences a slice of Air New Zealand’s history.
“The move to Canterbury will hopefully give more Kiwis the opportunity to visit the exhibition and experience first-hand our airline’s history which is firmly interwoven with the nation’s people, events and milestones,” says Air New Zealand chief executive officer Christopher Luxon.
IN BRIEF
Tourism Industry Association becomes Tourism Industry Aotearoa
The TIA has changed its name, and while the acronym remains the same, it will now stand for Tourism Industry Aotearoa. The announcement was made during the TRENZ event in Rotorua, and is said to better represent the country and its 1,500+ travel and tourism members. Read more
Solar-powered lodge almost ready to open
An off-the-grid lodge is set to open on June 1 at Lake Pukaki, and all of its power will come from solar panels on the roof. The Lakestone Lodge has six bedrooms and is already receiving booking from people interested in visiting this eco-friendly accommodation option in the South Island. Read more
Hong Kong Airlines announce daily direct flights to NZ
Hong Kong Airlines has announced a new direct daily flight between Auckland and Hong Kong. The route is planned to open later this year on November 10, and will offer 283 seats between the two cities. Read more
Auckland to host next TRENZ event
On the final day of the 2016 TRENZ tourism event in Rotorua on May 13, the Tourism Industry Aotearoa announced that Auckland would host the event next year. The annual gathering is New Zealand’s largest travel conference with hundreds of delegates from around the world, and will take place on Auckland’s vibrant waterfront from May 9-12 2017. Read more
New Zealand ‘open for business all year round’
Tourism New Zealand is aiming to show travellers that the country is not just a summer destination, but that it’s worthy of a visit any time of year. The group’s entire $80 million marketing budget will be spent on promoting shoulder season travel to bring in new visitors throughout the seasons. Read more
New Zealand’s film industry a major tourism drawcard
In a TRENZ presentation in Rotorua, Tourism New Zealand’s General Manager for PR and Major Events Rebecca Ingram highlighted just how important the local film industry is for the country’s tourism. Almost 300,000 visitors from overseas cited Peter Jackson’s ‘Hobbit’ trilogy as the reason for first becoming interested in a trip to NZ, she said. Read more
Posted in News, Travel and Tourism News | Tagged Air New Zealand, Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Tourism New Zealand, TRENZ | Leave a reply