Millbrook Resort A Big Hit With Amway

Millbrook Resort A Big Hit With Amway

Queenstown’s five-star Millbrook Resort has had its busiest January ever, playing host to close to 300 Japanese Amway distributors and staff.

The four VIP groups of distributors, who stayed at Millbrook in two ‘waves’ over a two-week period, were each at Millbrook for five days, enjoying welcome functions complete with a New Zealand Haka, golf on Millbrook’s renowned championship course, treatments at The Spa at Millbrook, recognised among the top ten hotel spas worldwide, and gala dinners at The Hills with presentations by Peter Hillary and performances from international songstress Hayley Westenra.

The groups, which included the top 300 achievers in Japan and the top achiever in the world, were reported to be “thrilled” with the world class facilities Millbrook had to offer and enjoyed exploring the wider Queenstown region. “The facilities at Millbrook were truly world class,” said Peter Hughes-Hallett, Vice President of Amway Japan, who travelled to New Zealand with them.

“It was the perfect location in which to host and reward our top distributors, many of whom were on their first ever visit to New Zealand. The chance to relax and take a break from the fast-paced life in Japan, surrounded by the quality of Millbrook and the natural beauty of Queenstown, was beyond the expectations of our Distributor VIPs.” During their visit, the Amway delegates experienced some of the best activities Queenstown has to offer including scenic heli-flights, trips to Milford Sound, bungy jumping, and a full range of soft adventure activities and shopping.

Millbrook General Manager David Onions estimated that the groups would have brought an estimated $1.3m-worth of business to Millbrook and Queenstown.

“Hosting the Amway delegates is a significant boost for the Queenstown tourism economy at a time when Japanese visits to New Zealand have been in decline,” he said.

“The calibre of this group and the fact that they chose Millbrook following two years’ of discussion with our C&I team and Japanese sales manager Yoji Kimura of Japan Connect NZ reinforces Millbrook’s five-star brand and the range of venues and open space available here.

“A conference or incentive stay and the range of experiences on offer at Millbrook is limited only by your imagination. We hope many members of this group will return to stay here and will tell their friends about Queenstown.”

Karen Whittaker, Millbrook Sales Manager Conference and Events, said Millbrook already had more confirmed business for 2010 than for the whole of 2009.

“On top of that we are still getting plenty of short lead enquiries,” she said. “Continued investment in the resort is helping to keep it at the top of its game on local, national and international levels.”

Japanese Amway distributors have previously stayed in places including Dubai’s Burj Al Arab, New York’s renowned Waldorf Astoria and Brunei’s Empire Hotel.

To top off their perfect Queenstown experience, each Amway distributor was given local Pounamu and a bottle of New Zealand wine.

Founded over 50 years ago, Amway is a major global direct selling company that distributes over 450 million health, beauty and household products through a large network of over 3.5 million independent business owners.

For further information on accommodation and facilities at Millbrook, please visit www.millbrook.co.nz

ENDS