Trans-Tasman Tourism Partnership Announced

Media Release: 13 August 2009

Trans-Tasman Tourism Partnership Announced

In what represents a major boost for New Zealand’s inbound and domestic tourism industry, the New Zealand Automobile Association and Australian Automobile Clubs are to combine their respective tourism marketing, guides and web operations in partnership, forming Club Tourism Publishing, the South Pacific region’s leading tourism publishing and media business.

Club Tourism Publishing will continue to trade as AA Tourism in New Zealand and as AAA Tourism in Australia. The partnership will be based in Auckland and Peter Blackwell, currently the AA’s General Manager of Tourism, will be appointed Chief Executive.

AA Tourism currently publishes New Zealand’s most comprehensive range of tourism and accommodation guides, as well as an award-winning tourism website. It has also helped revitalise New Zealand’s domestic tourism in recent years with the 101 Must-Do’s for Kiwis and 101 Must-Do Weekends marketing campaigns.

Mr Blackwell says “the trans-Tasman partnership is great news for New Zealanders, great news for our tourism industry, and great news for our economy.”

“It will allow the AA to market the New Zealand tourism industry directly to the 6.5 million members of the Australian Automobile Clubs, and it will improve New Zealand tourism information in Australia.”

“Most of New Zealand’s tourists come from Australia. It is our biggest visitor market and by establishing this trans-Tasman tourism business with the trusted Australian motoring clubs and their members, we have created a very powerful marketing opportunity for Kiwi businesses.”

“Despite the current recession we are seeing record numbers of Australians visiting New Zealand, over one million of them in the past year. This is in stark contrast to the falling visitor numbers from our traditional tourism markets of the USA, United Kingdom and Japan,” says Mr Blackwell.

“The AA already owns a significant stake in Qualmark, the New Zealand quality assurance programme. As a result of the new partnership we will also operate the Australian accommodation star rating programme. This provides us with a real opportunity to ensure there is aligned quality assurance on both sides of the Tasman.”

The partnership will create several new jobs in New Zealand. Every current AA Tourism employee will either be confirmed in their existing role or offered an alternative employment opportunity.

“The partnership will provide Australians with free access to a trusted source of New Zealand holiday information, including travel deals and a live accommodation reservation service. Kiwis will have access to similar information for Australia.”

“The partnership confirms the AA’s role as one of most important players in the New Zealand tourism industry,” concludes Mr Blackwell.

ENDS

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