Tourism New Zealand is working to grow visitor arrivals over the
long term from across the US. The organisation has committed NZD15
million to marketing in the US over the 2010/11 financial year.
Planned activity includes increased PR work, targeted marketing
communications and sector-specific initiatives, aimed at building
visitor numbers and value from this key market.
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Campaign
Media
Trade
Campaign
Advertising
A Search Engine Marketing (SEM) campaign ran during June,
targeting people actively searching for New Zealand online via a
range of special interest areas, such as ski/snowboard, luxury
lodges, cycling, hiking and eco-wildlife.
Campaign activity has been running consistently since the start
of 2010. Joint Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand advertising
has been running online, and a campaign with Qantas, Tourism
Auckland and Auckland International Airport took place in January
and February.
Work with Air New Zealand is directing consumers through to a
new website developed in partnership between the two organisations
- www.gonewzealand.com. The website contains
information designed to help inspire North American travellers, and
encourage them to plan and book their New Zealand holidays.
A new campaign with Qantas Airways and wholesale partner
Downunder Answers went live in early April 2010, including online,
billboard and newspaper activity.
Tourism New Zealand supported a consumer event in April 2010
with New Zealand Winegrowers, targeting wine aficionados in San
Francisco. The event was held in conjunction with popular radio
station KGO, and was supported by a radio and online campaign with
Air New Zealand.
Campaign activity will continue in the US promoting off-season
travel with very competitive pricing through a number of trade
partners in market.
'Your Big Break'
A short film competition - 'Your
Big Break' - organised by Tourism New Zealand, gave New Zealand
an awareness boost in the US during late 2009 and the first quarter
of 2010.
During December and early January, Tourism New Zealand invited
amateur film-makers to submit their ideas for a short film based on
the theme of 'New Zealand as the youngest country on Earth'.
Five contestants were flown to Queenstown in January and
February to shoot and produce their films, with the help of The
Lord of the Rings producer Barrie Osborne. Peter Jackson viewed all
five completed films and selected the winner in early March.
Almost 1,100 people entered the competition, with their entries
attracting more than 18,000 public votes. The competition's website
- www.your-big-break.com - attracted more than
2.5 million views. The five finalists' films made on location in
New Zealand have clocked up more than 250,000 views on YouTube
between them.
The competition and winning films were also promoted widely
through PR and paid advertising on TV, online, and in print. The
competition was mentioned in the media over 30 million times.
Tourism New Zealand is working to ensure the winning films
continue to gain exposure through online placements on targeted
websites and through advertising.
Media
America's Next Top Model
Three episodes of America's Next Top Model showcased New
Zealand to audiences of over three million per episode in April and
May. Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand jointly hosted the
America's Next Top Model contestants, crew, judges and
host Tyra Banks for filming in November and December last year.
The America's Next Top Model episodes were supported by
joint '100% Pure New Zealand'/Air New Zealand advertising, and PR
activity to promote the show's visit to New Zealand and drive
traffic to the newly launched www.gonewzealand.com US
travel website.
International Media Programme
Glossy US travel magazine Islands (circulation 213,241)
featured New Zealand in its April edition as well as online at www.islands.com. The 12-page
spread featured Auckland, Waitomo, Rotorua, West Coast and
Queenstown.
Virtuoso Life featured New Zealand as the cover story
in its March edition with a 10-page feature entitled 'North Island
Epic'. Virtuoso Life is published exclusively for top
clients of Virtuoso travel in the US and for World Elite MasterCard
cardholders.
Tourism New Zealand has begun work in the US to build
relationships with special-interest online media and high-traffic
blogs related to people with interests such as hiking, fishing,
golf, fashion and luxury travel.
Media Events
In a coup for the New Zealand tourism industry, New
Zealand has won the bid
to host America's top travel writers for their 2011 annual
conference. Around 350 travel media from the Society of American
Travel Writers will spend a week or more in New Zealand in November
2011, with coverage of New Zealand expected to reach millions of
people as a result.
Trade
Trade Training
High-end product buyers and frontline retail agents are visiting
New Zealand during April, May and June as part of Tourism New
Zealand's trade familiarisation
programme.
Weekly 'webinar' training in February and March focused on New
Zealand's regions. More than 230 agents joined the interactive
sessions in March 2010 and feedback continues to be positive.
Tourism New Zealand encourages New Zealand operators to become
involved in webinars. For more information, please contact Tourism
New Zealand's North American Training Coordinator, Carolyn
Pope.
Trade Events
Taste
New Zealand 2010 takes place on 18-20 May in three US cities.
This event will see New Zealand operators present to and network
with key incentive travel planners from the US market.
August 2009 marked the first time Tourism New Zealand attended
the Virtuoso Travel Mart. Earlier in 2009 Tourism New Zealand
reached a preferred destination agreement with luxury consortium
Virtuoso, a network of 650 high-end travel sellers and more than
4,000 elite travel specialists operating in North and South
America, and Australia.
Fourteen New Zealand luxury operators also attended Virtuoso
Travel Mart 2009. New Zealand hosted over 90 agents at the
Destination Dinner and a further 200 agents joined a New Zealand
training breakfast. Reaction to New Zealand was highly favourable,
helped by extensive coverage of the destination in multiple
Virtuoso publications. Planning is underway for a repeat
performance at Travel Mart 2010 which is once again being held in
Las Vegas in August.
A trade event '100% Pure Luxury' was held in New York to support
Virtuoso Travel Mart and utilise the number of New Zealand luxury
operators visiting the market. Feedback from more than 40 top
agents and 25 New York-based media attending the event has been
exceptionally positive, and the event is planned to take place
again in August 2010.