TRENZ 2009 showcasing Auckland

22 May 2009

Media Release

TRENZ 2009 showcasing Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand’s major international gateway, will be showcased to hundreds of international travel trade representatives early next month.

For most international visitors, vibrant multi-cultural Auckland is their first taste of what New Zealand has to offer. So it’s appropriate that our biggest city will host TRENZ 2009, New Zealand’s largest international tourism business event, at the ASB Showgrounds, 8-11 June 2009.

About 260 international travel and tourism buyers, and media representatives, from New Zealand’s major visitor markets including China, USA, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan will stay in Auckland during the event.

This will be the first time TRENZ has returned to Auckland since 2003.

“International travellers spend about $2.5 billion a year in the Auckland region. That’s $6.8 million every day. It’s a vital part of Auckland’s economy, supporting numerous jobs and businesses, from hotels and restaurants, to hairdressers and accountants,” Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) Chief Executive Tim Cossar says.

TIA manages TRENZ which brings together about 270 of New Zealand’s leading providers of accommodation, transport, activities and attractions to showcase the best of what New Zealand has to offer, and the latest developments of interest to international travellers.

“We’re looking forward to showing Auckland to buyers from around the world. The buyers not only attend the trade show at the ASB Showgrounds, but are also hosted at networking events each day at a range of venues around the city. Auckland’s unique blend of cosmopolitan city environment, harbour, islands, Polynesian, European and Asian cultures will offer our tourism buyers an experience that is second to none,” Mr Cossar says.

Tourism Auckland Chief Executive Graeme Osborne says he’s delighted to be partnering TIA and New Zealand tourism suppliers in hosting TRENZ 2009 in Auckland.

“As New Zealand’s largest city, the City of Sails is ideally positioned to host this year’s TRENZ. Auckland welcomes 70% of international arrivals to the country and hosts 34% of all international visitor nights in New Zealand,” Mr Osborne says.

“In the six years since TRENZ was last in Auckland, our product offering has grown extensively and we’re looking forward to showcasing both our products and our diverse region to the line-up of international buyers and media.”

Auckland Airport chief executive Simon Moutter says, “We are proud to be a platinum sponsor of TRENZ 2009. As the gateway to New Zealand, Auckland Airport welcomes 70% of international visitors to our shores so we understand the importance of embracing tourism. We are thrilled that the event is on our doorstep this year and look forward to sharing some exciting opportunities with our trade partners”.

Simon Jamieson of SKYCITY Auckland is delighted that the show will be coming to Auckland and many of the TRENZ delegates will be hosted at SKYCITY.

"Every year we have new aspects of our business to introduce to local and international buyers as well as updating on improvements to our current offering. We are launching a harbour view breakfast option at Observatory Restaurant at the top of the the Sky Tower for groups of existing and new clientele staying at SKYCITY Hotel and SKYCITY Grand, from this coming high season,” Mr Jamieson says.

“We have made changes across the 18 restaurants and bars in the SKYCITY complex, making sure that we really do have something to offer everyone who visits us and delegates will be able to sample these over the course of the week.

SKYCITY is the home of entertainment in Auckland offering visitors the choice of two hotels, a casino, dining options, the SKYCITY Theatre, cinemas and of course the world famous Sky Jump and Sky Walk right in the heart of the city."

A list of Auckland region tourism operators at TRENZ 2009 is below.

For more information on Auckland, visit www.aucklandnz.com

TRENZ 2009 is managed by TIA as agent of the Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust and in partnership with Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand and other industry supporters. The Ministry of Tourism is also a major supporter of TRENZ 2009. For more information, visit www.trenz.co.nz .

Key Facts

• Tourism contributes close to 10% of gross domestic product (GDP) for New Zealand

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• Tourism directly and indirectly employs nearly one in ten New Zealanders (this includes 108,100 FTE directly and 73,100 FTE indirectly).

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• Tourism in New Zealand is a $50 million per day industry. Tourism delivers $24 million in foreign exchange to the New Zealand economy each day of the year. Domestic tourism contributes another $26 million in economic activity every day.

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• Total tourism expenditure reached $20.1 billion for the year ended March 2007. International visitor expenditure accounted for $8.8 billion or 18.3% of New Zealand’s foreign exchange earnings.

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Visit www.tianz.org.nz for more information.

ENDS

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