Tourism deal aims to boost visitors to NZ

Tourism New Zealand has signed a $9 million marketing deal with Jetstar to encourage more visitors from Australia, Singapore, Japan and across the Asia region.

The three-year agreement runs to mid-2014 and will see Tourism New Zealand and Jetstar each contribute $1.5m a year to a range of joint brand, promotional and tactical campaigns including consumer events as well as print, online and television advertising and social media activities.

The marketing drive would combine the airline's low fares with the tourism organisation's destination branding, and focus on encouraging holidaymakers to visit New Zealand on Jetstar's direct Auckland-Singapore services, trans-Tasman flights and services from Japan via the Gold Coast.

Jetstar brings more than 400,000 passengers to New Zealand each year.

Jetstar's group chief executive Bruce Buchanan said in Auckland this morning that Jetstar was now the largest low-cost airline in the Asia Pacific region by revenue.

''With our Singapore hub providing connections with 25 Asian destinations it makes NZ an increasingly accessible holiday destination for an emerging middle class in China, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

''The launch of Jetstar Japan next year will put NZ within reach of millions more hoilidaymakers from key cities in the world's third largest economy.''

Source - stuff.co.nz