Traditional media is dying but that's an opportunity for the
tourism industry according to Jane Dent, Tourism New Zealand
General Manager International PR.
Speaking at the Inbound Tour Operators Council (ITOC) annual
conference in Gisborne this week, Jane Dent told a crowd of about
200 people that with the demise of traditional media, international
media outlets are desperate for content and Tourism New Zealand has
moved in to meet that demand.
She said in the last year, in the United States alone, about 120
newspapers have closed or gone entirely online. More than 24,000
journlists and media professionals have lost their jobs. In the
United Kingdom more than half the newspapers could be shut by
2014.
"But that's an opportunity for all of us to push our own content
into the media," said Jane Dent.
As a result Tourism New Zealand has set up its own global news
room - www.media.newzealand.com - to try and generate
more stories about New Zealand. It is using its staff and PR
agencies to share ideas and monitor international news for events
that can help profile New Zealand positively.
Successes to date include stories that have been generated
through bungy's 20th birthday, getting the British Twitchhiker
to New Zealand and hosting a
Bollywood actress and the Indian
international cricket team in New Zealand.
"Quirky, unique, newsy, funny, celebrity stories, luxury,
wildlife, New Zealand as home of the next Rugby World Cup: these
are all stories we are looking to build on and get into the
international media. And with the Hobbit films being shot
over the next couple of years, there is also a chance to raise New
Zealand's profile once again as 'Home of Middle Earth'."
And the message for the New Zealand tourism industry? Keep us in
the loop, tell us what you're doing and we can try and make your
story go further.
"You've heard of the stadium of four million people. We want New
Zealand to be a newsroom of four million people."
If you have a story that could be used to promote New Zealand
positively in the international media please email us.
Go to Tourism New Zealand's international media
website
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The director of the Hobbit
films, Guillermo del Toro, claims he's had to wear elastic wasted
pants for months because he enjoyed the food in New Zealand so
much.
Speaking in an interview with Tourism
New Zealand, he claimed to have gone up four sizes because of the
food he ate.
"But I am not unhappy - it was joy. The
Pavlova is deadly, brown sugar meringue, lemon slices, milk is
fantastic - I'm addicted to milk."
The video interview is being used by Tourism New
Zealand to help promote New Zealand and has already reached
millions of people online.