As part of its four-year strategy to grow year-round visitation, Tourism New Zealand’s new off-peak season campaign shines the spotlight on local cuisine and dark sky tourism to entice travellers to visit between March and November.
The ambitious strategy plans to lift tourism by NZD$5 billion (around AUD$4.5 billion) and double exports by 2028 with all NZ visitors to be “high-quality tourists by 2030“.
The unusual pairing of dark sky tourism and world-class cuisine represents the campaign’s aim to showcase Aotearoa New Zealand as worthy of one or more (Michelin) stars or an entire starry sky.
Consumer insights show 70 per cent of the country’s potential off-peak visitors are interested in dark sky tourism while 85 per cent are keen on cuisine as a reason to travel.
Tourism New Zealand launched the new campaign with the Pou-o-Kai pop-up ‘restaurant with the most stars’ at Kura Tawhiti (Castle Hill, South Island), inviting media, tastemakers and social media advocates from key markets to sample a unique menu by acclaimed NZ chef Ben Bayly.
Bayly said he’s excited to promote NZ’s hospitality sector to the world and showcase the culinary evolution over the last 20 years.
“It’s the perfect time to shine a light on Aotearoa’s hospitality industry on the world stage. We have our own unique culture of hosting guests in New Zealand, which we call manakitanga, and the love of showcasing New Zealand as an extraordinary destination is in the DNA of every Kiwi,” he said.
Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive René de Monchy said: “The campaign is strategically aligned to build desire for Aotearoa New Zealand as a compelling destination for international visitors all year round.”
“With this campaign, we’re proving our cuisine is worthy of a star or a billion while showcasing New Zealand, our fantastic dark skies and winter experiences in our key markets such as Australia, the US and China, which are driving New Zealand’s tourism recovery.”
The campaign will showcase New Zealand’s nationwide stargazing and culinary offerings coupled with a comprehensive suite of trade training and planning resources focused on off-peak visitation.
For more info, head to traveltrade.newzealand.com
