18 August 2005
A Good Morning for New Zealand
New Zealand has been announced as top destination today in a National Geographic Traveler promotion on Good Morning
America, the second highest-rated television breakfast show in America.
“The American market is one of our key tourism markets,” says the Minister of Tourism Mark Burton.
“Good Morning has around five and a half million viewers. The fact that an ‘overwhelming majority’ of voters chose New
Zealand is a very positive reflection of our desirability as a destination in the United States.”
The vote was due to a National Geographic Traveler promotion to send an American family on their dream holiday. National
Geographic approached a number of countries, including New Zealand, to set up potential packages for a family holiday.
Tourism New Zealand coordinated with Air New Zealand and US travel company Springboard Vacations to put together a
package, and then had to wait to hear if we had been selected.
Today the website votes were counted, and New Zealand came out as the ‘overwhelming choice’.
The competition saw families in the USA competing to win an ultimate family vacation. Three finalist families were
selected by judges, and then viewers voted for the family they thought should go on a vacation of a lifetime. Viewers
selected the Paine family on 12 August.
Viewers then voted for the destination that the family should visit, out of finalist destinations of Tahiti, South
Africa, Alberta (Canada), and New Zealand.
“New Zealand really got, and will get even more great publicity out of this win,” says George Hickton, Tourism New
Zealand Chief Executive. “Not only did New Zealand get mentions on Good Morning America a number of times in the run up
to the competition winners being announced, but in announcing the win, the show showed footage of New Zealand, and the
presenter Charles Gibson waxed lyrical about his time in New Zealand some twelve years ago – some great endorsement from
a well-respected broadcaster.”
New Zealand will also feature through the National Geographic Traveler email newsletters and website from Monday.
ENDS