Collaborative marketing efforts - tourism growth

Collaborative marketing efforts achieve tourism growth

Christchurch International Airport Limited (CIAL) is working with businesses across New Zealand and Asia Pacific to tempt an increasing number of visitors into enjoying the South Island’s legendary tourism experience.

An innovative collaborative marketing effort with the Ski Tourism Marketing Network has resulted in a 33% increase in Australian visitor arrivals to Christchurch Airport for the month of July, many with ski and snowboard bags in tow.

Gareth Owen, general manager of marketing and business development at CIAL, said that the airport company focuses a lot of energy into marketing campaigns designed to grow offshore tourism markets.

“We’re fortunate that through our marketing work with airlines, we are already spending a fair amount of time in our target inbound markets, which provides the perfect opportunity to promote the attractions of New Zealand travel to potential visitors,” he says.

“Through our active airline route development in countries such as India, Japan, China, Singapore, and Australia, we have found ourselves combining our airline and tourism promotional work, so that, for instance, we are in the position of facilitating meetings with the top tourism wholesalers, government ministers, and airlines in a region to discuss development options for New Zealand."

Mr Owen said that despite the current economic recession, interest from airlines in developing new routes is slowly returning.

“Air services take time to develop, and our work in this area has been consistent for the past five years. We now have some strong leads which we expect will grow the travel options for New Zealanders and increase the number of inbound tourists to the South Island.”

He also believes that joint venture campaigns may represent the future for South Island, and even New Zealand tourism, especially in a tough economic climate.

“Our partners in offshore marketing campaigns range from the national and regional tourism organisations to industry organisations and wholesalers, meaning that our messages are reaching our target market through a number of mediums. For instance, the online Ski Tourism Marketing Network programme used web advertising, interactive components and a viral online game, encouraging Australian skiers to book a South Island skiing holiday via an online portal, newzealandski.co.nz.

Members of the New Zealand Ski Tourism Marketing Network include CIAL, Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism, NZSki.com, the Mt Hutt Marketing Group, the Wanaka Winter Marketing Group and Destination Queenstown.

Mr Owen said he believes that the continuation of such strong marketing partnerships with New Zealand tourism businesses was the key to growth through a recession.

“Despite the global tourism downturn, CIAL ended the June financial year with passenger numbers slightly above those of last year, and this trend has continued into July with a 2.9% increase in international passengers on the same month last year,” he said.

ENDS

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