Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) Australia Manager, Sharon Auld says Australia continues to be the strongest market for New Zealand, accounting for 65 per cent of international business event arrivals.
Figures from Statistics New Zealand show a 20.9 per cent increase in Australian business event arrivals for the month of July 2015, with 3,792 delegates crossing the Tasman that month.
For the year to July 2015, 38,944 Australian delegates had experienced New Zealand for a business event, up 10% on the previous year.
“The value of Australian visitors is highlighted in the most recent Convention Delegate Survey from December 2014. They stay an average of 3.8 nights in the event region, plus another 1.1 nights elsewhere and spend NZ$374 per night,” Sharon Auld says.
“We are seeing a lot of passion from our Australian clients for New Zealand destinations, products and activities and this has been demonstrated through business already secured and the feedback we received from CINZ MEETINGS this year.
“Air connectivity remains a top priority when positioning New Zealand to our Tasman neighbours, and we are promoting excellent international and domestic air access.”
Sharon Auld says new connections to Western Australia will bring even more opportunity to the market. Air New Zealand’s new daytime service from Perth to Auckland is set to operate from 11 December 2015 to 1 May 2016 on a 767-300 three times a week. This increases overall frequency on this route to 10 weekly, and complements the current daily 787-9 service.
Air New Zealand will also continue to operate twice weekly seasonal Perth - Christchurch services from 11 December 2015 to 29 April 2016 on a 767-300, bringing West Australians directly in to the South Island.
“New initiatives to encourage companies to hold their business events in New Zealand include promoting executive retreats for management teams, strategy meetings and high achievers' incentives,” Sharon Auld says.
Tourism New Zealand Business Events is also assisting as a key connector with Australian associations, linking decision-makers with experts and thought leaders in New Zealand.
CINZ is planning a new familiarisation programme to allow more Australian decision-makers to experience New Zealand.
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