Air NZ supports Govt’s increased investment in Tourism NZ

16 April 2013

Air New Zealand supports Government’s increased investment in Tourism New Zealand to grow tourism

Air New Zealand welcomes the Government’s announcement today to invest an incremental $158 million over the next four years to grow tourism to New Zealand.

Chief Executive Officer Christopher Luxon says, “This is a significant investment in growing tourism export earnings to New Zealand, which will have very positive impacts in terms of employment and visitor expenditure, throughout the country.

“A third of all international visitors flying into New Zealand arrive on Air New Zealand. Air New Zealand’s new Go Beyond strategy is focused on market development and growth in the Pacific Rim and this investment will enable the industry to convert the opportunities that exist with potential high value visitors and the emerging markets of the Pacific Rim.”

Air New Zealand already works in deep partnership with Tourism New Zealand to promote tourism to New Zealand, most recently in highly successful activity to promote New Zealand as the filming location for the Hobbit movies.

“We have seen online sales increase in several markets as a result of Air New Zealand’s and Tourism New Zealand’s marketing activity around the movie. Our Hobbit themed on board safety video An Unexpected Briefing attracted more than 10 million views on Youtube and 1.4 million views on Youku in China.

“We have seen growing demand for travel to New Zealand and following the announcement today of incremental funding for tourism, we will work to identify how Air New Zealand can actively support the Government’s investments through our partnership marketing activity with Tourism New Zealand over the coming four years.”

Tourism is New Zealand’s second largest export earner, after the dairy industry, generating NZ$9.6 billion in export earnings (in the year to March 2012). More than 2.5 million international visitors arrived in New Zealand in the year ended February 2013.

ENDS

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