Trans-Tasman Growth Buffers Wellington from Tough Year for Tourism

A 14% increase in Australian arrivals direct into Wellington has buffered the region’s $2200 a minute tourism industry from a tumultuous year, according to Positively Wellington Tourism (PWT) Chief Executive David Perks.

The growth of trans-Tasman arrivals into the capital in the year to October is over six times that of the nationwide increase of 2%.  Mr Perks says Australian visitation helped drive a record winter for Wellington’s tourism industry and has been the key factor in a 6.2% increase in commercial guest nights in the year to October 2011. This compares to a 0.8% decline nationally.

“The Australia market has really hit its straps”, says Mr Perks, who will this afternoon update industry partners on this year’s activities and look ahead to 2012.

It’s fitting this coincides with the 20th anniversary year of the launch of the Absolutely Positively Wellington campaign, he says.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km7fzg-5m4Q

“We’d seen how creative and focused marketing – in conjunction with smart development - could transform the perception Wellington had of itself and in turn how New Zealanders felt about it. We knew we could do the same thing across the Tasman, which is why early last year we championed a private-public partnership approach to developing the Australia market.”

Since PWT launched There’s No Place Like Wellington in March 2010, arrivals have increased 20% when compared to the same 19 months before. In the same period directly prior growth was just over half that, Mr Perks says.

“Australia is working. And it’s been pivotal to buffering Wellington against the very challenging cards our industry has this year been dealt.”

Trumpeting Wellington’s successes and opportunities is bittersweet this year, Mr Perks says.

“We know 2011 has been a real struggle for many in the tourism sector – particularly in the South Island. But we still feel it’s important to share our good news - a vibrant and economically successful capital is pivotal to this country’s success and continuing to build the market for all.”

As well as developing the Australia and Conventions markets, this year PWT has focused on connecting with Wellington’s fans and ambassadors.

“Positively Wellington Tourism now has the ability to connect directly with well over 150,000 fans of the city at any one time, who themselves have their own networks with whom they can share Wellington’s story. In many ways we’ve become our city’s own digital media channel.”

While the way destinations are marketed and travel is booked has completely transformed, trade relationships and knowledge remain pivotal, Mr Perks says.

“The PWT team has this year held 298 trade appointments, made 130 sales calls and trained over 580 frontline staff throughout New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, India, Germany, USA and Canada – having the industry across what the ‘coolest little capital in the world’ has to offer is pivotal and the Lonely Planet accolade and our ‘school of cool’ training has righted some very outdated perceptions this year.”

Further events development, cracking the trans-Tasman conventions market and entertaining storytelling will be key to continuing Wellington’s successes in 2012, Mr Perks says.

“There’s so much happening at the moment – last week alone saw the launch of the Handmadefestival programme, the Craft Beer Capital guide and the new Embassy Deluxe cinemas; and next year we have the NZ International Arts Festival and world premiere of the first The Hobbit film.”

:: Watch PWT’s The Numbers are Up 2011 video report on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QyHPz3OD60