Hon Damien O’Connor Minister of Tourism

Regions of New Zealand doing the business

International visitors and traveling Kiwis alike are giving the regions of New Zealand a big thumbs up, new research released today shows.

The Regional Visitor Monitor (RVM) is a new survey managed by the Ministry of Tourism in conjunction with Tourism New Zealand and selected regions. It provides seasonal ‘snapshots’ of visitors’ experiences in the regions of New Zealand.

The first national data, released today, shows that international visitors rated their overall satisfaction level as 8.3 out of 10 specifically within the six regions surveyed.

Domestic visitors gave a rating of 8.2 out of 10.

“It’s fantastic to see not only international visitors but New Zealanders being so satisfied with the New Zealand experience,” Tourism Minister Damien O’Connor said.

“These results go a long way towards dispelling myths on domestic travel. Kiwis are really having a good time in their own back yard."

The survey's performance measures included the quality of bars, restaurants, accommodation, attractions and services such as car parking and toilet facilities in Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Canterbury, Queenstown and Dunedin. Other regions may be included in the survey in the future.

Mr O’Connor said the survey provided an insight into the industry that would help planning and marketing at the grass roots level.

“Each region can place their data alongside the national benchmark and easily see how they compare. That's got to be good for the tourism industry."

Overall, the survey indicates that the tourism sector is performing very well at a regional level with 85 per cent of visitors saying they would be keen to return.

Both international and domestic respondents were particularly enthusiastic about the natural environment. There was some criticism of public amenities, such as parking facilities for campervans and cars.

Copies of the report can be obtained from www.trcnz.govt.nz.

ENDS

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