Biggest NZ Export Industry Taking Action -- TIANZ

New Zealand's biggest export industry is taking action

Make time for action - register for major tourism conference. The 2007 Tourism Industry Conference will focus on putting the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015 into practice, with particular emphasis on

* Environmental sustainability

* Domestic travel and tourism

* Seasonality - how to attract more visitors in the shoulder and low seasons

* Local communities and tourism - building better relationships between communities and the tourism industry.

Registrations for the conference, on the theme of "Make Time for Action - putting the Strategy into practice" open today. It will take place at the SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre, 29-30 August. Register online at www.nztourismconference.co.nz

The conference is the most important annual forum for New Zealand's multi-billion dollar tourism industry.

"Those at last year's conference told us environmental sustainability was the industry's number one issue. More recently, feedback on the Draft Tourism Strategy raised concerns about domestic tourism, seasonality and the industry's relationships with local communities. The aim is to go away from Conference 2007 armed with the knowledge and wherewithal to take action on these challenges," Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) Chief Executive Fiona Luhrs says.

Keynote speakers will give their perspectives on the most important issues facing tourism and breakout sessions will enable a closer focus on each specific area.

The social highlight of the event will be the announcement of the winners of the Tourism Industry Awards 2007 at a gala dinner on Thursday 30

August at SKYCITY Auckland. Visit www.tourismawards.co.nz for more details.

The Tourism Industry Conference and Tourism Industry Awards are managed by TIA with support from key industry partners including the Ministry of Tourism and Tourism New Zealand.

Key statistics about tourism:

* Tourism is the world's fastest growing industry

* New Zealand tourism arrivals have increased by 61% since 1999 to 2.4 million

* Forecast annual growth is 4% on average for at least the next five years

* Tourism is New Zealand's single largest export sector and contributed $8.3 billion dollars to the economy in the year ended March 2006. That is 19.2% of exports

* Domestic tourism contributes $10.3 billion to the economy each year

* Tourism directly and indirectly employs 10 percent of the work force. That is one in 10 jobs in New Zealand.

* Tourism represents 8.9% of gross domestic product and generates $531 million in GST returns from international visitors each year. Tourism is the only export sector whose international clients pay GST.

ENDS

© Scoop Media