Ruapehu to woo overseas visitors

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 529, 29 March 1994, Page 4

Ruapehu to woo overseas visitors

A promotion by the Ruapehu District Council to attract more international visitors to the central North Island in 1994 is underway. In 1993 international visitor arrivals to New Zealand grew at a rate of 9.6%, more than twice the world average. The Ruapehu District Council, through the efforts of Marketing Manager Bruce Rollinson and the Heartland New Zealand Tourism Marketing Group, have recently developed a range of tourist products to attract a higher percentage of international visitors to the central North Island. Mr Rollinson said the Heartland New Zealand Tourism Marketing Group, consisting of neighbouring regional tourism organisations, was formed to specifically network central North Island tourist attractions. The network also allows a number of high profile activities to be included in the one focused product and provides a very real altemative

destination to the traditional tourist areas of Rotorua and Queenstown. The outcome of a tourism product packaged last August that targeted the Australian visitor market was very satisfying, according to Mr Rollinson. The promotion was a joint venture with the NZ Tourism Board. The group' s target of attracting 500 Australian visitors in the first year was well surpassed. Representatives from the Heartland Marketing Group recently packaged a tourism product targeted at the Singapore and Malaysian markets. Visitor growth rates to New Zealand from these markets have averaged between 2428%. The product being developed will be launched at travel shows in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur during March 1 994. To assist with the cost of promotion the council has obtained an Enterprise Growth Development grant which will cover 50 per cent of the total costs.