Hon Paula Bennett
Associate Minister of Tourism

23 June 2016 Media Statement

Focus on off-season tourism reaping rewards

A 17 per cent rise in the number of overseas tourists to New Zealand in May shows a Government and tourism sector push to attract shoulder season visitors is working, Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

Statistics New Zealand figures show the number of people holidaying here from overseas in May this year was 87,552, up 17.3 per cent on May 2015.

“It is no secret that New Zealand’s tourism sector is doing spectacularly well. We want to ensure that this success is spread across the year and across our regions,” Mrs Bennett says.

“To see this kind of growth in tourists visiting our beautiful country in the last month of autumn shows our focus on growing shoulder season tourism is paying off.”

A large part of Tourism New Zealand’s campaign funding is being used to promote shoulder season travel and is targeting interest groups such as skiers, cyclists and golfers, who may want to visit outside the summer season.

“A key objective of our Tourism Growth Partnership fund, administered by MBIE, is to lift the productivity of the tourism sector. It gives priority to funding projects addressing seasonal travel patterns and encouraging visitor spending during shoulder and off seasons,” Mrs Bennett says.

“What we want is more consistency and to spread those visitors out over a 12-month period. It’s creating and sustaining jobs in the regions and it’s good for the economy.”

To address infrastructure issues in the regions as a result of growing tourism, the Government announced in this year’s Budget that $12 million would be invested over four years to help support the creation and maintenance of regional tourism infrastructure.

ENDS

© Scoop Media