High competitiveness ranking for NZ tourism

High competitiveness ranking for NZ tourism

6 March 2008

The Tourism Industry Association represents about 2000 businesses and organisations within the tourism industry.

Members include airlines, airport companies, and regional tourism organisations, rental car, coach and taxi companies, inbound tour operators, accommodation providers, tourism attractions, researchers, training organisations and tourism services providers.

Tourism is New Zealand’s largest export earner – accounting for 19.2% of this country’s export earnings.

The Tourism Industry Association organises the New Zealand Tourism Industry Conference, TRENZ, PURE LUXURY New Zealand and the New Zealand Tourism Industry Awards as agent of the Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust.
Go to www.tianz.org.nz A new report shows that New Zealand is among the best countries in the world for the tourism industry but there is plenty of room for improvement, the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) says.

The World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008 places New Zealand nineteenth out of 130 countries for the international competitiveness of its travel and tourism industry. The report measures the factors and policies that make it attractive to develop the T&T sector in different countries.

“This is an excellent result. Along with our ranking of seventh in the world for the sustainable development of the tourism industry, it shows that we are on the right track in maximising the benefits of tourism for New Zealand’s economy, while minimising the impacts,” TIA Chief Executive Fiona Luhrs says.
The report places New Zealand second internationally for the quality of its natural environment and fifth for the effectiveness of its marketing and branding – a tribute to the success of Tourism New Zealand’s 100% Pure marketing campaign, Ms Luhrs says.

“I was also delighted that we were second for the attitude of our population towards visitors. One of the main attractions for our international visitors has long been the friendliness of New Zealanders and I’m glad to see this continues to be the case.”

However, the report also highlights a number of areas where New Zealand’s tourism industry can do better, including ground transport infrastructure, information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, and price competitiveness.

“The high New Zealand dollar has been reducing our competitiveness compared to other international destinations, so our 68th placing comes as
no surprise.
“The tourism industry is well aware of the areas where it could improve its performance and many of these will be addressed as we implement the recommendations of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015 (NZTS 2015),” she says.

“NZTS 2015 has a strong emphasis on sustainability, preserving and enhancing the environment, and kaitiakitanga (guardianship). This report shows the Strategy, launched in November, will take our industry in the right direction.”

To read the report, go to: http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/TravelandTourismReport/index.htm.

For more information on NZTS 2015, go to www.nztourismstrategy.com

Key statistics about tourism:
- Tourism is the world's fastest growing industry
- New Zealand tourism arrivals have increased by 61% since 1999 to 2.4 million
- Forecast annual growth is 4% on average for at least the next five years
- Tourism is New Zealand's single largest export sector. International visitors contributed $8.3 billion dollars to the economy in the year ended March 2006. That is 19.2% of exports
- Domestic tourism contributes $10.3 billion to the economy each year
- Tourism directly and indirectly employs 10 percent of the work force. That is one in 10 jobs in New Zealand.
- Tourism represents 8.9% ($12.8 billion) of gross domestic product and generates $531 million in GST returns from international visitors each year. Tourism is the only export sector whose international clients pay GST.

ENDS