Winter campaign launched in Aussie as first snow falls

Chillier temperatures in New Zealand are being welcomed as the new ‘What’s On’ winter campaign launches in Australia, Tourism Minister Damien O’Connor announced today.

Tourism New Zealand’s What’s On campaign focuses on promoting the seasons and specific events to get Australians visiting New Zealand. It gives them more reasons to visit the regions and ideas to encourage visits out of the peak summer months.

Mr O’Connor said the new winter campaign comes hot on the heels of the autumn ‘Green and Gold’ campaign, and the ads are showing our Australian neighbours that a New Zealand holiday has just as much to offer in the winter season.

“Australia is a vital market for New Zealand’s $8.3 billion tourism industry, providing over 38 percent of total visitors last year.

“The 2007 winter ‘What’s On’ campaign saw Australian visitor arrivals increase by 16 per cent between June and August last year.

“With growth flattening from some of our long-haul markets, it is even more important that we show Australians how a winter holiday in New Zealand can be an unforgettable experience.

“The campaign coincides well with the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015. One of the goals in the Strategy is for New Zealand’s tourism sector to be prosperous and attract ongoing investment. To do that the industry needs to increase the number of visitors in the shoulder and off peak seasons to ensure greater utilisation of assets and facilities,” said Mr O’Connor.

The ‘Winter Wonderland’ campaign will run on TV, outdoors, in cinemas and online across Australia’s Eastern Seaboard, with a particular focus on Sydney and Brisbane.

The campaign is being run in conjunction with Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism and the Ski Tourism Marketing Network. Advertisements will run through to 5 July 2008.