MEDIA RELEASE

June 18, 2013

Nelson Mayor Achieves Internet Stardom

Nelson Mayor Aldo Miccio has achieved internet celebrity status in Brazil through social media platform Twitter, after establishing a connection with internationally renowned Brazilian bloggers Jovem Nerd.

Translated in English as ‘Young Nerd’, the superstars responsible for managing the award winning “nerd” website met with Mayor Miccio in Nelson, as part of a nationwide tour organised by New Zealand Maori Tourism and Education New Zealand.

Miccio says his Twitter page, @Miccio4Mayor, grew by over 1000 percent after featuring on Jovem Nerd’s ‘Nerdcast’, which broadcasts to over 10 million people each week. 

 “I met with the guys from Jovem Nerd while they were in Nelson last month and they were impressed by the number of opportunities available here for international students. They were also intrigued by our collaborative approach to the betterment of our city, which is comparatively different to the political situation in South America,” says Mayor Miccio.

“My Twitter following has grown from just ninety to over fifteen-hundred followers and is continuing to climb, with enquiries from a diverse range of people ranging from students to architects and doctors flooding in, who are all expressing interest in coming to Nelson, so it’s been a great way to help put our region on the map and attracting more visitors to the region.”

Director of Operations for New Zealand Maori Tourism, Butch Bradley, says the connection will help to strengthen ties with Brazil.

 “Aldo is a young and enthusiastic mayor who is incredibly down to earth, and is very good at harnessing the power of social media, so the Jovem Nerd team were blown away with his approachability, and I’m not at all surprised by the viral internet growth,” says Bradley.

“Brazil has two to three hundred thousand international students, however currently New Zealand is only attracting a very small percentage here, so the Jovem Nerd tour was implemented to increase those numbers.  If I was a parent I would want to know about the people of a city, and social media is an effective way of showcasing Nelson as a safe and vibrant place to live and study, so the digital activity will help to build credibility and forge relationships.”

James Upton, Director of Nelson English Centre, says more international students will help to bolster local tourism and drive economic development.

“Having more international students living and studying in Nelson will have a significant positive impact on our local economy, and will also help to entice more tourists to our beautiful region, so I’m excited about the doors that may open with Brazil and look forward to developing opportunities that arise as a result.” 

ENDS

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