Bringing the World to Auckland

PRESS RELEASE
14 December 2007

New Regional Visitor Plan released: Bringing the World to Auckland

A new regional visitor plan that estimates an extra $12 billion in visitor spending from increased tourism investment in Auckland has the full support of Auckland’s regional tourism organisation Tourism Auckland.

Bringing the World to Auckland was released today by AucklandPlus, the economic development agency of the Auckland Regional Council.  It outlines the key investments and actions needed to maximise the potential of Auckland’s visitor economy over the next decade, including $1.5 billion in central government spending.

A key recommendation is an expanded regional visitor agency to cover destination marketing, destination management, a convention bureau and major events office.  The agency would need annual funding of $5 million for the first five years.  Tourism Auckland currently receives $2.18 million in annual funding from the three largest of Auckland’s seven city and district councils, plus private sector investment in joint marketing.

Chief executive Graeme Osborne says Tourism Auckland has worked in partnership with AucklandPlus to develop Bringing the World to Auckland and will work towards establishing the new agency as soon as possible.

He says the plan’s goal to develop the infrastructure and attractions to make Auckland a compelling destination was challenging because of the large number of stakeholders.

“Auckland does not have a good track record of working regionally, without reverting to parochialism and politics.  The strength of Bringing the World to Auckland is its clear articulation of the need for a sound investment platform with the collaboration of many organisations, including central government,” says Mr Osborne.

Mr Osborne says the plan endorses many of the marketing concepts that Tourism Auckland has developed in recent years, including the creation of pedestrian heritage trails in the central business district and around landmarks such as Mt Eden.

“We’re pleased that this plan backs our current activities undertaken on a meagre budget, and repeats what we’ve been saying about the need for increased investment,” he says.  “We’ve talked for a long time about the need for a national convention centre in the central business district, and attractions centred on the harbour.”

Mr Osborne says the Auckland visitor industry has been subjected to an array of reviews and consultation rounds in the past few years.  “This regional visitor plan once again underlines the need to take action now to realise the huge potential of tourism to the Auckland and New Zealand economy.”

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