N.Z. ‘Winning Race For Tourists’

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30959, 15 January 1966, Page 7

N.Z. ‘Winning Race For Tourists’

“The Press** Special Service

WELLINGTON, Jan. 14. New Zealand is beating its Pacific rivals in the tourist race. On a population basis it is pulling ahead of Australia, Japan and Hong Kong, according to two American advertising executives. They are Mr J. Keller, director of the travel and trade division of the Campbell Ewald Company, and Mr P. Dailey, director of the company’s western and Pacific regions, who are now in Wellington.

Campbell Ewald, one of the largest advertising firms in the United States, handles Air New Zealand’s American publicity. Its other clients include General Motors, Boeing Aircraft, Matson Navigation and Firestone. New Zealand was regarded in America as sophisticated in its tourist promotion, said Mr Keller. Government spending on tourist advertising had already put it well ahead of Japan or Hong Kong. Mr Keller described Air New Zealand’s success in gaining access to Los Angeles as a “real coup.”

Air New Zealand was now in a position to become a stern competitor of Qantas

in the Pacific. On the United States west coast. Qantas had right of entry only to San Francisco Mr Keller said his company's advertising campaign on behalf of Air New Zealand would be on two levels. On the national level the campaign would be aimed at the high-income, well-educat-ed groups through magazines like the “New Yorker” and top travel and holiday publications. On the local level advertising would be conducted through newspapers and television, mainly in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Honolulu. Problems facing the company in trying to sell both New Zealand and Air New Zealand were:— New Zealand was little known in the United States—it was still considered an emerging country. There was still a shortage of hotels in this country. Americans could not easily be persuaded to travel 7000 miles just to see New Zealand.

The South Pacific had to be sold as a package tour. Statistics showed that least 90 per cent of American tourists visited both Australia and New Zealand.

Research among 500 American tourists had indicated that scenery was New Zealand’s main feature.

Travel and holiday writers who had travelled a few weeks ago on Air New Zealand’s inaugural flight from Los Angeles had already produced length stories on New Zealand for Californian newspapers. Most had emphasised the scenic beauties of this country.

Sporting life was second in the order of priorities and the people third. Campbell Ewald intended to use the Maori people as a major drawcard. They gave New Zealand its exotic aspect. New Zealand’s prowess in breeding racehorses, Rugby heroes and its beer, would also be used as motifs in advertising brochures.