100% Middle-earth wins prestigious PATA Gold Award 2014

For immediate release

Tuesday 17 July, 2014

100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand wins prestigious PATA Gold Award 2014

Tourism New Zealand’s 100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand campaign has today once again been recognised on the world stage, with its latest win the prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Grand Award, Marketing.

“As an international marketing body it is incredibly encouraging to receive acknowledgement of our campaign activity from fellow international tourism bodies and professionals – and we are extremely proud to receive this award”, says Kevin Bowler, Chief Executive Tourism New Zealand.

The annual PATA Gold Awards recognise tourism organisations that have made outstanding contributions to successfully promote the travel industry in Asia Pacific.

This year, more than 180 entries from 66 organisations and individuals worldwide were received.

Kevin says the latest win reinforces the strength of the campaign, which has resonated strongly across key offshore markets – driving increased awareness and preference for New Zealand as a holiday destination alongside significant visitor growth.

“Our 100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand campaign continues to go from strength-to-strength, and it is fantastic to receive such significant acknowledgment as we gear up to launch our activity to leverage the third and last of The Hobbit movies – set to be released later this year.”

Holiday arrivals into New Zealand for the year-ending May 2014 were up 8.9 per cent on the previous year with key target market for the Middle-earth campaign, the United States showing 15.3 per cent growth in holiday arrivals.

Launched in 2012, the campaign leverages the huge media and consumer attention that The Hobbit Trilogy has and will continue to achieve, and converts that attention into travel to New Zealand – the country where the movies were made.

Developed in partnership with The Hobbit moviemakers Warner Brothers and Weta Workshop, 100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand has been the primary marketing campaign for Tourism New Zealand in its key offshore markets.

The award will be formally presented to Tourism New Zealand on 19 September at the PATA Gold Awards Luncheon as part of the PATA Travel Mart in Cambodia. For the full results view the PATA release: http://www.pata.org/press/pata-announces-2014-grand-and-gold-award-winners1

ENDS

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