Please distribute to all staff

August 18, 2009

In This Issue

• Australian Launch Activity
• Backpacker Activity
• Jasons What’s On Update
• Rotorua Convention Bureau Update
• Trade familiarisations
• Media update
• Visitor Activity Statistics
• Events - September 2009
• Dates for the Diary

Australian Launch Activity

To clarify the roles of marketing activity going forward – The Airport has been working with the current GNZTR collective, which includes Tauranga, Coromandel, Hawkes Bay, Ruapehu, Waitomo, Taupo and Rotorua, to develop a collective brand. This combined approach will be used to target the Australian consumer direct. This is a space we have traditionally found difficult to penetrate due to the costs. With a collective fund and a very solid proposition, the regional approach is one that we in Rotorua will work alongside when it comes to consumer direct.

From a C & I perspective, we will very much be marketing that as Rotorua. We have planned a Roadshow for November into Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne as well as secured a feature in a prominent C & I magazine in Australia. Other planning is still going on but media and famils will be a big part of that strategy.

A working group has been established via the Rotorua Tourism Board to help the Bureau determine the Australian C & I strategy and some work has already been done to implement that.

From a trade perspective, many of you are already working in this space and we are also looking at Rotorua opportunities where appropriate (and affordable). We have just signed up to work with Harvey World Travel on a nationwide TV and print campaign and are again working with ANZCRO on their spring campaign. Famils of Australian travel agents continue in earnest with a Newmans famil planned this weekend and two others in the pipeline.

James is in market this week training all key wholesale frontline staff along with five Rotorua operators.

For any more information on our planned Australian activity, contact ruth@rotoruanz.com or after the 28th, james@rotoruanz.com.

Backpacker Activity

The inaugural NZ Backpacker Industry Conference is being held in Auckland on the 17th – 18th August. There will be presentations from Minster of Tourism and Prime Minister John Key, Chief Executive, Tourism New Zealand George Hickton, and Chief Executive, Tourism Industry Association New Zealand, Tim Cossar.

To register your interest or find out more visit backpackerconference.org.nz

Jasons What’s On Update

The first issue of the combined Jasons / Rotorua Visitor Guide publication comes out in December.  Jasons will commence sales for this issue at the end of August.

I have been well aware of the change in pricing structure and what this may mean for some of our advertisers.  Thought it timely to clarify our reasoning for moving down this path:

Nearly 50% of all our Visitor Guide advertisers, were already advertising with Jasons, so there was an immediate cost saving for those advertisers.

Jasons have a nationwide distribution network through many accommodation providers, rental cars and airports.  They also have a number of outlet spots in Rotorua.  This increases the overall distribution of this publication.

Their print frequency is every quarter, so operators can either choose the season they would like to be included in or take an annual coverage at a reduced rate.  There are many different advertising options lined up with their other publications, as well as discount voucher options that may be more cost effective for smaller operators. See if their sales agent Sharon, can help you through this when she makes contact.

Most of you will already know Sharon Murray from Jasons who will be selling the advertising for this publication.  If you would like to speak with her about opportunities, please email her on sharon.m@jasons.com.

Rotorua Convention Bureau Update

Plans for the Mega Famil are well underway, with 63 Auckland based C & I planners destined to arrive on charter flight Rotovegas Air 146 on Thursday morning 20 August.

The famil has been planned in place of the annual roadshow as there is no doubt that Rotorua always surprises when people are actually in town. The idea to bring them to Rotorua was a Bureau initiative and Air National jumped on board with a very affordable charter price to make the idea a reality. The famil is in town for two days, departing on Friday afternoon.

As a result of this Mega Famil, there were many disappointed people who couldn't make the dates, so Melissa has a list of up to 120 more interested parties keen to famil Rotorua! (and that's before we start on Australian famils!!).

Hosted famils over the past month have been:

• Go Vita - Peter Mc Dougall and Duncan Shaw for 2010/11 - 19-21 July Self Famil
• International Diffuse Pollution and Microbiology Conference Famil for Sept 2011 - 12-13 August

Trade Familiarisations

• July 19 -22 - Kiwilink Famil - North America
• Aug 16/17 - Lisa Travini - Air NZ, Sydney

Media Update

A few members of the Tourism NZ IMP team were in Rotorua last week, familing new products. They were very impressed with what they saw and we hope to see quality media coming through as a result of this.

We’ve invited several domestic journalists to Rotorua for an arts famil next weekend, revolving around the Wearable Creations 'n Colour Awards. The journalists will attend the event and visit several local artists. We look forward to great results showcasing Rotorua’s thriving art scene.

We are supplying a 2000-word feature for the October issue of mice.net and a 250-word story for an upcoming issue of NZ Mountain Biker.

Media results can be viewed online at rotoruanz.com/media/results

Visitor Activity Statistics

New Zealand Tourism Industry Monitor – August 09

For the three months to the end of July, tourism demand was down 3.0% and profitability was down 4.1%. The forecast for the three months commencing August, tourism demand is expected to be down 1.1% and profitability down by 3.6%. Results for both the past three months and the upcoming three months are up on the results of the previous month's monitor, indicating a more optimistic outlook among operators. Click here to link to the full Tourism Industry Monitor results.

New Zealand International Visitor Arrivals (IVA) – June 09

International visitor arrivals to New Zealand for the month of June 2009 were down 5.1% over June 2008. Arrivals were up from Australia (up 9.2%) and Canada (up 13.0%). There were fewer arrivals from UK (down 11.5%), USA (down 2.1%), China (down 49.4%), Japan (down 66.7%), Germany (down 8.5%) and Korea (down 48.5%).

Rotorua Commercial Accommodation Monitor (CAM) – June 09

Visitor nights spent in Rotorua commercial accommodation for the month of June 2009 were down 12.2% over June 2008 (versus -4.8% nationally) - domestic visitor nights were down 2.4% (versus -3.1% nationally) and international visitor nights were down 24.4% (versus ‑7.6% nationally). For the same period, sectors of Rotorua commercial accommodation with positive growth in visitor nights were hosted (up 26.0%) and motels (up 3.5%). Sectors with negative growth were hotels (down 17.7%), holiday parks (down 8.0%) and backpackers (down 28.7%).

Rotorua Attraction Monitor – June 09

Visits to Rotorua Attraction Monitor participant businesses for the month of June 2009 were down 22.2% over June 2008 - domestic attraction visits were up 2.3% and international attraction visits were down 34.5%.

Most of the tourism monitors are freely available by subscription and can be downloaded from rotoruaNZ.com.

For more information about Rotorua visitor statistics or to subscribe to any of the monitors please contact Gina on DDI (07) 349 7289 or gina@rotoruaNZ.com

Events - September 2009

For more information or to check out the latest events, go to rotoruaNZ.com/events

Dates for the diary

Blue = Destination Rotorua Marketing participation

2009

17 – 21 Aug, Australian Frontliner Training, Brisbane / Sydney

20 – 21 Aug, Auckland C & I Mega Famil, Rotorua

1 - 5 September, SE Asia Trade Training, Singapore / Thailand

7 – 11 September, Kiwilink India, India

24 September, DRTM/TIA/TNZ forum, Rotorua

7 – 8 October, CINZ Conference, Blenheim

9-13 November, Rotorua Roadshow, Australia

12 December, First flight from Sydney

Recipient and sender details

We have collected your contact details. This information is collected to enable us to keep you up to date with tourism news pertinent to the Rotorua tourism market and keep you informed of the activities of the Destination Rotorua Marketing office. We will not disclose your contact details to third parties.

Ruth Crampton
Assistant General Manager
Destination Rotorua Marketing
Private Bag 3007, Rotorua
Phone +64 7 349 7280
Fax +64 7 349 4133
marketing@rotoruaNZ.com