Tourism New Zealand and Jetstar deal to bring more visitors
Tuesday 8 November 2011, 9:10AM
By Jetstar
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Tourism New Zealand has signed a $9 million marketing deal with Jetstar that will combine the airline’s low fares with the tourism organisation’s strong destination branding to encourage more international visitors from Australia, Singapore, Japan and across the Asia region.
The three-year agreement runs to mid-2014 and will see Tourism New Zealand and Jetstar each contribute NZ$1.5 million per year to a range of joint brand, promotional and tactical campaigns; consumer events; and print, online, TV and social media activities.
It marks the single largest push ever undertaken by Jetstar in the New Zealand market and is the first formal marketing partnership between Tourism New Zealand and Jetstar.
The two partners will work to leverage New Zealand’s 100% Pure campaign and its reputation as a unique destination with Jetstar’s low fares network as the way to get there. Activity will refer travellers to Jetstar.com to book fares and packages. Jetstar will increase New Zealand destination content on its website to support the partnership.
The marketing drive will focus on encouraging holidaymakers to visit New Zealand on Jetstar’s direct Auckland-Singapore services, trans-Tasman flights and services from Japan (via the Gold Coast).
Jetstar Group Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan said the investment highlighted the importance of New Zealand to the airline’s growing network.
“Jetstar is now the largest low cost airline in the Asia Pacific region by revenue and our low fares have the potential to open New Zealand up to a whole new generation of travellers,” Mr Buchanan said.
“With our Singapore hub providing connections with 25 Asian destinations, it makes New Zealand an increasingly accessible holiday destination for an emerging middle class in China, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.
“The launch of Jetstar Japan next year will put New Zealand within reach of millions more holidaymakers from key cities in the world’s third-largest economy,” added Mr Buchanan.
Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Kevin Bowler said the joint investment presented a significant opportunity for the New Zealand tourism industry.
“We are pleased to be working together with Jetstar. The effects of this campaign will flow across the country, with international travellers once in New Zealand able to travel throughout Jetstar’s New Zealand network to Christchurch, Auckland, Dunedin, Queenstown and Wellington,” he said.
Mr Bowler said the partnership recognised strategic alignment between the two organisations.
"The agreement focuses on our core trans-Tasman market, and also the growth market of Asia, which is a key priority for us. In particular, Jetstar’s growing Singapore and Tokyo hubs provide greater opportunities for travellers across the region to travel to New Zealand on a low cost carrier.
“Through this partnership we can achieve greater and deeper reach with our campaigns and it allows us to combine our skills, expertise and resources across our organisations.”
Jetstar brings more than 400,000 passengers to New Zealand annually.
For the year-ending September 2011, overall international visitor numbers into New Zealand from Australia stood at 1,122,600; Japan at 74,400 and Singapore at 34,343.
Jetstar expects to introduce the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on its existing Singapore-Auckland route when it becomes the first carrier in New Zealand to take delivery of the new aircraft type in 2013. The airline currently flies A330s with business and economy class on this route.
Jetstar also operates direct short-haul single-class A320 flights from Australia to Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown, flights to Auckland from Japan via the Gold Coast, and domestic services between Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Queenstown and Dunedin.