ITC Industry News Bulletin #65
In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, Rotorua wins a bid to host a major conference in 2020, New Zealand is rated as one of the most welcoming places in the world for expats, and much more.
TOP STORIES
Rotorua to host international environmental conference
Rotorua has won its bid to host the 18th International Congress on Photosynthesis Research in August 2020. The event will bring over 1,300 delegates to the city and contribute an estimated $3 million to the local economy.
The city was chosen over other potential locations in Europe and the USA, with the Rotorua Energy Events Centre’s lakefront location a major drawcard for the conference.
Destination Rotorua’s Craig Murray says that the hosts were also drawn to Rotorua’s reputation as a great conference city.
“Rotorua is a tourist destination in its own right and we presented a range of pre- and post-conference tours around New Zealand. This was another contributing factor in New Zealand’s selection as host nation,” he explained.
New Zealand one of the top countries for expats
A new study by online expat community InterNations has ranked New Zealand as fifth in the world for expats to live in. The survey measured factors such as job satisfaction, ease of settling, personal finance, and quality of life, and found New Zealand to be one of the best out of 67 countries.
First place went to Taiwan, which was followed by Malta, Ecuador, and Mexico. At the other end of the scale, Kuwait was listed as the worst, with Greece and Nigeria following as the least favoured.
Features that make a country welcoming for tourists were important factors in the rankings, as the friendliness of locals and ability to make friends easily were part of the study. Australia followed not far behind New Zealand in seventh place.
IN BRIEF
Auckland Airport supports wine tourism
Auckland Airport this week announced a $50,000 grant for the New Zealand Wine Pure Discovery Project. The money will go towards boosting the quality of wine tours and attractions, as well as the number of visitors. Read more
Cruise industry continues to grow with record numbers
New Zealand saw a massive 26 per cent growth in passenger arrivals for the 2015-16 cruise season. With more than 254,400 passengers arriving in the country in 35 ships, it was the busiest season on record. Read more
‘Pete’s Dragon’ film creates opportunities for tours
The release of Disney’s classic kid’s story ‘Pete’s Dragon’ has inspired new movie set tours around New Zealand where it was filmed. Just like with The Lord of the Rings franchise, visitors are often keen to see the places where famous scenes were shot. Read more
New Zealand best place to be in case of travel mishaps
Nobody wants to break a bone while travelling, but accidents do happen. Interestingly, New Zealand is the best country to be in when a travel mishap occurs, according to a UK travel insurance company. After analysing 10 countries, including Australia and the USA, insurance company ‘Bought by Many’ ranked NZ in first place based on travel prices and the cost and quality of care. Read more
Sydney campaign produces boost in interest
Tourism New Zealand’s largest-ever outdoor campaign in Sydney has resulted in a 9 per cent increase in Sydneysiders who are seriously considering a holiday in the country. The campaign included advertisements at bus stops and train stations, on motorways, and on buses. Read more
Change in Easter trading laws to boost tourism
A new law will now allow local councils to decide whether or not to allow shops to open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The move may see benefits for tourism as more stores open during these days that may have previously been closed. Read more
‘My Tourism New Zealand’ set to help operators
An online portal for tourism operators on the Tourism New Zealand website should soon help local businesses. The site, due to be released by the end of October, is designed to share information and outcomes directly from Tourism NZ. Read more
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