TIA applauds two wins for tourism

8 August 2014

TIA applauds two wins for tourism

The Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) is applauding two significant announcements which will help deliver on the tourism industry’s goal of $41 billion in total tourism revenue by 2025.

A consortium has been chosen to build the new Christchurch Convention Centre, one of the central-city's key anchor projects. Accor has been selected as the Convention Centre’s preferred hotel operator.

The government has also given the green light to a strategic alliance between Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines, which will see Air New Zealand fly into Singapore for the first time since 2006.

TIA Chief Executive Chris Roberts says the importance of the Convention Centre to the revitalisation of Christchurch cannot be under-estimated.

“The Convention Centre is the cornerstone project that will attract accommodation, hospitality and retail development into the CBD.

“New Zealand has a huge opportunity to attract more high spending convention and conference visitors. It is important that Christchurch has a top class facility as part of an expanded network of centres around the country.

“This improves the competitiveness of New Zealand tourism and targets value visitors – both important aims recognised in the tourism industry’s Tourism 2025 growth framework.

“I look forward to the new Christchurch Convention Centre opening for business in 2017.”

Mr Roberts says approval of the Air New Zealand/Singapore Airlines alliance is also aligned with Tourism 2025.

“Growing sustainable air connections is crucial to growing the value of tourism. The alliance between Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines has immediate benefits in terms of additional capacity and also offers a sustainable partnership that should provide long-term gains and opportunities.

“Singapore is a vital source of visitors to New Zealand with potential to increase. It is also one of the world’s major aviation hubs and a vital pipeline to our growing visitor markets throughout Asia and the Pacific Rim.

“TIA has advocated for both the airline alliance and for a Christchurch Convention Centre and we are delighted with these announcements.”

ENDS

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