ITC Industry News Bulletin #74
In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, industry leaders predict the end of shoulder seasons, New Zealand wins prestigious luxury tourism accolades, and more.
TOP STORIES
Industry leaders predict the end of shoulder seasons
Like many major tourism destinations in the world, New Zealand has long experienced ‘shoulder seasons’ – off-peak times when visitor numbers drop, such as the middle of winter. However, if current trends continue, shoulder seasons may soon become a thing of the past.
Lake Wakatipu boat operator Wayne Perkins has been in the industry for more than 30 years, and has noticed a huge difference. He told Radio New Zealand that accommodation is full year round, and that the difficulty of acquiring a place to stay in mid-summer and winter suggests that more people are booking in traditionally quieter times.
New Zealand’s most luxurious accommodations given top honours
The World Luxury Hotel Awards ceremony was held in Qatar over the weekend, and some of New Zealand’s most luxurious accommodation options were noted in the prestigious accolades.
Christchurch’s ‘The Residence’, a three-bedroom villa, was named as the top luxury hotel villa in Australasia. Owned and refurbished by The George hotel, the villa can be rented out as one large suite or as separate rooms.
Additionally, The Spire was named as New Zealand’s best luxury romantic hotel, and Eichardt’s Private Hotel was given the title as the country’s best luxury suite. Both hotels are located in Queenstown and owned by Imperium Group.
“We are honoured to represent New Zealand on an international stage as luxury tourism continues to soar both here and abroad,” said Imperium Group owner Andrew Cox.
IN BRIEF
Is a New Zealand theme park on the cards?
A Chinese billionaire is looking at the possibility of building a new theme park in New Zealand. Hangzhou Songcheng is considering both Auckland and Queenstown for his dream park, which would include accommodation, recreation, and shows. Read more
Bollywood star preparing for a return visit to New Zealand
Bollywood star Sidharth Malhotra has already enjoyed one extremely successful trip to New Zealand, and is now set to return to showcase more of what the country has to offer to his home in India. This time around, he’ll be spending most of his trip in regional areas. Read more
New flights lure more UK visitors to New Zealand
After recently creating a number of new routes between the UK and NZ, Emirates have now announced huge passenger increases. Christchurch routes have seen a growth of 10 per cent, and Auckland has seen bookings up by a massive 113 per cent. Read more
Chinese visitor numbers on the rise
There are already more than 50 flights operating between New Zealand and China, but that number is set to rise to at least 70 by the end of the year. Extra services mean more options, more choices, and often lower prices, making New Zealand an even more attractive tourism destination. Read more
Jobs boom in Rotorua has tourism to thank
Job advertisements are on the rise in Rotorua, and many of them are in roles in or supporting the tourism trade. Job hunting website Seek says businesses are in preparation for the busy summer holiday and festive period. Read more
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