21 December 2009

New Zealand ready with UK, US campaigns

WELLINGTON Ã¢â¬' Latest international visitor arrivals figures have confirmed that it has been a slow start to the peak season for the New Zealand tourism industry.

Statistics New Zealand figures for the month of November show visitor arrivals were up just 0.3 per cent compared with the same month last year, to 219,939 arrivals.

Tourism New Zealand acting CEO Tim Hunter says the figures indicate that New ZealandÃ¢â¬â¢s long-haul markets are still feeling the pinch of the global recession.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœItÃ¢â¬â¢s been a tough year for tourism globally, so the fact that weÃ¢â¬â¢ve ended 2009 down just 0.6 per cent shows how hard the New Zealand tourism industry has worked to drive visitor numbers in a difficult environment,Ã¢â¬~ he said.

Australia continues to be New ZealandÃ¢â¬â¢s Ã¢â¬Ëœbanker marketÃ¢â¬â¢, with 7,300 more visitors crossing the Tasman to New Zealand last month compared with November 2008 (up 9.5 per cent).

Hunter added, Ã¢â¬ÅâœThe economic situation remains fragile in key markets including the US (down 11.3% in November) and UK (down 0.9%), and we can expect to see this reflected in visitor numbers in the short term.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœThe general feeling is that arrivals will be subdued for the first part of the peak season, but we expect to see an improving trend in some long-haul markets in the first quarter of 2010.Ã¢â¬~

Tourism New ZealandÃ¢â¬â¢s priorities for 2010 will be on recovery of long-haul markets where arrivals are still showing declines.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWe will be going back into the UK with campaign activity in January. A large-scale project with Air New Zealand will launch early in the New Year and is expected to help drive recovery in arrivals from the US.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWe are also continuing to keep pressure on those markets and sectors that have remained strong throughout the recession, including the backpacker market and smaller European markets.Ã¢â¬~

Chinese advertising activity will extend into Beijing for the first time in 2010, which will help build awareness of New Zealand in China.