All Important Holiday-Makers continue to boost NZ

MEDIA RELEASE

21 September 2000

All Important Holiday-Makers continue to boost NZ tourism

The most pleasing thing about today's International Arrival figures was the increase in the number of people arriving in New Zealand in the holiday category, Tourism Industry Association (TIA) Chief Executive, Glenys Coughlan said today.

"Of the three categories measured - Business, Visiting Friends and Relatives and Holiday - it is those in the last category that make an independent decision to come to New Zealand.

"To have that figure up by 11.9 percent over August 1999 is very positive and shows solid growth in that all-important category.

"New Zealand's marketing effort is aimed specifically at the holiday market. The increase in that category shows that our marketing is having an impact on the travellers who have a wide variety of destination's to chose from, and who decide to come here," Ms Coughlan said.

Ms Coughlan warned that while the low New Zealand dollar benefited tourism, it made it more expensive to advertise overseas to attract the holiday visitors and, eventually, the low dollar and high fuel prices would force costs up for many tourism operators. ?../more

"The low dollar does help tourism in the short term, but it can turn into a double edged sword. We are probably at the stage now where we are looking for the dollar to stabilise," Ms Coughlan said.

ENDS

The Tourism Industry Association represents 3,500 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, travel agents, adventure tourism operators, accommodation providers, tourism attractions, researchers, training organisations and tourism services providers Tourism is New Zealand's largest export earner - accounting for 16 % of this country's export earnings The Tourism Industry Association organises the New Zealand Tourism Conference, TRENZ and the New Zealand Tourism Awards

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