Hotel Council Aotearoa Welcomes Campaign To Attract More Aussies

Hotel Council Aotearoa (HCA) welcomes the Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism’s announcement today of new funding to help attract Australian travellers to New Zealand this autumn. The campaign tagline “Everyone must go!” is a well-pitched call to action. International visitor arrivals to New Zealand were largely stagnant last year and stalled at 88% of pre-COVID levels.

HCA is pleased to have contributed to the work through input from the Hotel Council Sales & Marketing Taskforce, a group of senior hotel sales and marketing executives representing major national, regional and local hotel chains. In 2024, HCA estimates that New Zealand’s privately owned hotels collectively invested more than $300 million in sales promotion and commissions. Competing hotels are likely to create offers and align their own marketing messages with the new Australian-focused campaign, in turn amplifying the public investment.

“The Tourism Boost and this first campaign is a very positive step. It’s a clear indication that international tourism will play a big part in New Zealand’s economic recovery”, said James Doolan, Hotel Council Aotearoa Strategic Director. “HCA has long said that New Zealand needs to hustle hard to win back international travellers after COVID. Other countries have been dialling up advertising and reducing the friction of travel in order to win back customers”.

“We have a number of wonderful new hotels, convention centres, restaurants and other attractions, many of which are in urban settings”, said Doolan. “Clever destination marketing and event attraction can get our towns and city-centres humming once again”.

Hotel Council Aotearoa hopes that regional authorities also take up the challenge and do more to help grow the visitor economy.

“Airlines and hotels are unique tourism businesses because they do a lot of marketing overseas. When international visitors arrive in New Zealand, they flow into smaller businesses such as local bars, restaurants, retailers and attractions. Hotels are a key enabler of tourist spending and it’s great to have that recognised,” said Doolan. “The hotel sector is always available to help grow tourism in genuine partnership with both local and central government”.

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