Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011) offers an enormous opportunity
for the country's tourism industry. Tourism New Zealand is focussed
on making sure rugby fans consider New Zealand not just in terms of
rugby, but also for the activities and experiences they can have
here during the World Cup. We want them to get the most out of
their trips here, enjoying our world-class tourism products and
experiences, so they go home recommending New Zealand to
others.
Put simply, Tourism New Zealand wants to position New Zealand as
the best experience a global rugby fan can have. Our role is to
ensure RWC 2011 is a successful event not only from a New Zealand
tourism perspective but also in terms of our international
reputation as a top-performing international visitor destination. A
successful RWC will strengthen New Zealand's brand on the global
stage.
Tourism New Zealand aims to attract around 85,000 international
visitors to RWC 2011, through innovative and effective marketing
programmes aligned to RWC that target Tourism New Zealand's key
markets.
RWC 2011 will be successful only with the full support of the
tourism sector - from operators to regions and local communities.
We've promised a 'stadium of four million people', and that will
require Kiwis from around the country to embrace the spirit of
hosting the event and getting involved.
Tourism New Zealand has developed a strategy to leverage the
Rugby World Cup for the benefit of New Zealand from a tourism point
of view. We are working with other Government Agencies and Rugby
New Zealand 2011 to implement a number of initiatives in our
offshore markets, including the following:
The Rugby Ball Venue
The giant Rugby Ball Venue is a
unique, fully-inflatable and transportable venue that is installed
in iconic locations around the world to promote New Zealand as a
great place to work, live, play and do business with. The Ball has
already attracted significant PR and media coverage for New Zealand
as the hosts of RWC 2011.
Online marketing
Tourism New Zealand's consumer travel website has a new space -
www.newzealand.com/rugby - dedicated to
providing interactive and engaging content on rugby tourism.
The space includes an interactive match schedule with
information about the regions where games will be played and teams
will be hosted, to help fans follow their teams around the country.
Former All Black Tana Umaga and television personality Petra Bagust
present a series of 'Rugby Road Trip' videos, highlighting some of
the host regions and showcasing experiences that will be on offer
in 2011.
Tourism New Zealand is working with tournament organisers Rugby New
Zealand 2011 (RNZ 2011) to tap into their existing online
communities of fans on Facebook and talk to their email
subscribers. The aim of this work is to start conversations about
New Zealand by sharing rugby tourism news, stories and
rugby-related videos, and to convert an interest in rugby and the
Tournament into plans to travel to New Zealand.
We are also using our own social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, to start conversations around RWC
2011.
Working with travel sellers
The 'Rugby Zone' on our trade website has been
created especially for travel sellers around the world who will be
putting together holidays based around New Zealand as host of the
Rugby World Cup 2011.
Only RWC 2011 Official Travel Agents (OTAs) worldwide can
promote packages to New Zealand for RWC 2011. The OTAs have access
to the Official Accommodation Bank that has been set up to ensure
that supporter groups, sponsors and teams are able to secure the
best available accommodation in terms of location and quality.
However other travel agents are able to help their clients plan
independent holidays around RWC, even though they can't promote the
RWC itself or sell tickets to the games.
Tourism New Zealand is working with the 20 OTAs world-wide to
ensure they have a broad knowledge of the range of tourism products
each New Zealand region offers. Offshore, Tourism New Zealand has
allocated one staff member in each relevant market to work with the
OTAs to develop their knowledge of New Zealand on an ongoing basis.
Our help includes travel seller training resources and databases,
and linking the OTAs with regional contacts so they can arrange
familiarisation tours in New Zealand.
Once in New Zealand, the i-SITE network will be ready to
deliver on the promise that New Zealand as the best experience a
global rugby fan can have.
For information about official travel agents, ticket sales and
hospitality packages see www.rugbyworldcup.com
Media
Tourism New Zealand is using its international PR programme, including
proactive PR, international media hosting, and celebrity and
opinion leader endorsement, to raise New Zealand's profile as the
host of RWC 2011.
We have already begun hosting leisure and lifestyle journalists
as well as rugby media and this activity will increase further in
the build-up to 2011. Our Global Newsroom team is looking for
rugby-related story angles to sell into international media and
posting regular rugby stories on our international media website,
www.media.newzealand.com.
A nation of four million hosts
Tourism New Zealand is working at national, regional and
host-city level to encourage a coordinated RWC approach by the
entire New Zealand tourism industry to deliver a country of four
million hosts.
Tourism New Zealand is supporting the NZ2011
office to deliver the New Zealand 2011 festival and its network
of events.
We are publishing regular rugby stories on this
website, and keeping the tourism industry up to date through our
Tourism News newsletters.
Crowds queue for the Giant Rugby Ball in Tokyo in
November/December 2009.