Wellington makes headlines at Australian craft beer event

23 May 2014

Wellington makes headlines at Australian craft beer event

Wellington is delivering a clear message that it is New Zealand’s number one craft beer destination at Australia’s premier beer festival this weekend.

Four top Wellington brewers (Funk Estate, Panhead Custom Ales, ParrotDog and Yeastie Boys) are exhibiting alongside Positively Wellington Tourism staff under a ‘Craft Beer Capital’ banner at the Great Australasian Beer Spectapular (GABS) in Melbourne.

The stand has been provided by the regional economic development agency, Grow Wellington.

Fellow Wellington brewers Garage Project and Tuatara will also have dedicated stands, with the capital making up six of the seven New Zealand exhibitors at the event.

Positively Wellington Tourism (PWT) Chief Executive David Perks says the tourism organisation worked with popular Australian lifestyle publication Time Out to produce a 16-page ‘Craft Capital Post’ newspaper, which would be available for the up to 12,000 attendees at GABS and distributed to more than 50,000 Time Out subscribers across Sydney and Melbourne.

“Craft beer has really captured consumers’ imaginations and palates, and Wellington’s mix of cellar doors, brew bars and creative brewers – all just a wander away from one another – make the city an unmatchable destination for craft beer fans.”

The Craft Capital Post features insights and stories about local brews, brewers, bars, eateries and hotels, along with upcoming culinary events Beervana and Visa Wellington On a Plate, Mr Perks says.

“The Craft Capital Post is designed to connect craft beer fans with Wellington’s stories, people and all the details they need to plan the ultimate short break away.”

Councillor Jo Coughlan, chair of the Council’s Economic Growth and Arts Committee, says Australia is both the first key export market for Wellington brewers and the city’s largest international visitor market.

“This activity at GABS is a fantastic example of how partnership initiatives can deliver both inbound and outbound economic impact for destination Wellington,” Councillor Coughlan says.

“Craft beer sales have grown at an average of 10% per annum over the last five years across the ditch, with Wellington’s brewers well positioned to maximise the opportunity in this thriving market. Meanwhile, Australian visitation into Wellington continues to boom, with a 6.7% increase in trans-Tasman last year.”

The Great Australasian Beer Spectapular runs from 23-25 May.

Positively Wellington Tourism (PWT):
PWT is the regional tourism organisation for Wellington. It is a council-controlled organisation primarily funded by Wellington City Council through the Downtown Levy, a targeted rate paid by commercial ratepayers in downtown Wellington.

Key facts:
• Visitors spend over $3,166 in the Wellington region per minute – over $1.6 billion every year. (Source: Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, Regional Tourism Estimates, YE March 2012).
• Wellington saw a record number of Australian visitors in 2013, with a 6.7% increase in trans-Tasman arrivals.
• Over four million visits are made to Wellington every year: 750,000 international and over 3.4 million domestic. (Source: Ministry of Economic Development Regional Tourism Data).

ENDS

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