Auckland And New York City Sign First-ever Tourism Partnership

New Two-Year City Agreement Signifies Global Commitment to Sustainable Tourism

NYC & Company, New York City’s official destination marketing organisation, and Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED) today signed a first-ever official tourism agreement between the two cities.

The new two-year partnership will enable ATEED and NYC & Company to promote their respective destinations and focus on attracting visitation through an economical and collaborative exchange and includes reciprocal marketing and promotion over two years.

The new tourism partnership between New York City and Auckland comes as Air New Zealand prepares to launch a new non-stop service between Auckland and New York City, beginning in October 2020.

The agreement was formalised this afternoon at an industry ceremony at Ōrākei Marae in Auckland, New Zealand, with Associate Minister Hon. Peeni Henare, Auckland’s Mayor Phil Goff, ATEED Chief Executive Nick Hill, NYC & Company President and CEO Fred Dixon.

From the five boroughs of New York City to the four corners of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, this agreement will encourage each destinations’ communities to connect through storytelling, ideas, business opportunities, and contacts.

It will create opportunities to leverage and develop positive economic, environmental and social outcomes within the respective destination and further afield, particularly benefiting the local accommodation sector and tourism operators.

“It is gratifying to announce our newest city-to-city tourism partnership with Auckland, marking our first formal collaboration with a destination in the South Pacific. Auckland’s strong commitment to sustainability, arts & culture and culinary match New York City’s same focus. With the launch of Air New Zealand’s new non-stop service between Auckland and New York City commencing this Fall, there could be no better time for our cities to strategically align,” said NYC & Company president and CEO Fred Dixon.

The partnership also demonstrates the respective destinations’ commitment to leading global change around economic, environmental and social sustainability, with a focus on sustainable and responsible tourism.

ATEED CE Nick Hill says it is fantastic to partner with NYC & Company, expanding Auckland’s presence in a major international city which is leading global conversations in its commitment to sustainability and how to approach tourism responsibly.

“Like New York, Auckland is committed to addressing the challenges of climate change and this commitment will ensure that the growth in visitor numbers enriches our region beyond the economic benefit, helping us protect and improve our environment, our unique identity and cultural heritage, and quality of life,” he says.

“This partnership reflects the underlying principles of kotahitanga and kaitiakitanga within the Destination AKL 2025 strategy as we work collaboratively and with common purpose to ensure we are actively caring for our region, people and environment.”

“Auckland’s priorities involve focusing on visitor-facing facilities for waste and reduction, visitor education on how to travel responsibly and safely and share best practices around carbon reduction.”

Air New Zealand Chief Strategy, Network and Alliances Officer Nick Judd says the airline is excited to work with ATEED and NYC & Company on a shared framework for sustainable tourism development.

“Our non-stop flight will cut travel time by around three hours, putting New Zealand in easy reach of New York and the Eastern Seaboard. This is a fantastic tourism opportunity and we’re looking forward to playing our part to develop sustainable initiatives which deliver an outstanding visitor experience, while taking care of communities and the environment.”

To celebrate the partnership between ATEED and NYC & Company, Air New Zealand has released special fares for travel from New Zealand. Fares are available to purchase at airnewzealand.co.nz and promotional fares ex New York at airnewzealand.com.

NOTES TO EDITOR

About New York City: In 2020, New York City will celebrate several cultural milestones. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and American Museum of Natural History will both commemorate 150th anniversaries while the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx will debut the first large-scale exhibition of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s engagement with nature, including new works created specifically for the exhibit. The new Apollo Performing Arts Center in Harlem will debut in Fall, 2020, marking the first physical expansion of the theater in its 85-year history.

Additional 2020 developments include the observation deck Edge at Hudson Yards debuting in March, and the 50th anniversary of the New York City Marathon in November.

New York City has the most active hotel development pipeline in the United States, with approximately 123,000 hotel rooms currently and another 20,000 rooms on the way. Recent hotel openings include Conrad New York Midtown, Equinox Hotel Hudson Yards, Hotel Hendricks, Hotel Indigo Williamsburg and Moxy East Village. This year, the City will welcome new brands Aman, Six Senses, and Virgin Hotels, among others.

About NYC & Company: NYC & Company is the official destination marketing organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide. For the official source on all there is to see and do in New York City, go to nycgo.com.

Currently, NYC & Company has several other active city-to-city tourism partnerships across the globe including Madrid, Amsterdam, Cape Town, Toronto, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Berlin and Manchester, which was recently signed last month. With the signing of this new agreement, NYC & Company now has a tourism partnership presence across six continents (N. America, S. America, Europe, Africa, Asia and South Pacific).

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