Victorians bidding for N.Z. ski trade

Press, 10 April 1984, Page 15

Victorians bidding for N.Z. ski trade

The Victorian Tourism Commission has launched a campaign aimed at getting more New Zealanders on the Australian state’s ski slopes. It hopes to boost the interest of New Zealanders through a 40-page colour booklet, “Ski Victoria,” which contains detailed information on all the state’s main ski-fields. The ski resorts covered in the booklet are Mount Hotham, Falls Creek, Mount Buffalo, Mount Buller, Mount Baw Baw, Lake Mountain, and Mount Donna Buang.

Copies of the booklet, which is free, are being distributed through ski

shops, ski clubs, and the commission’s office in Auckland. While the Victorians hope that the booklet will persuade New Zealand skiers to consider Victoria as an alternative winter holiday destination, they do not expect thousands of New Zealanders to flock across the Tasman just for skiing.

“We are well aware of the superb ski-ing available in New Zealand during the southern winter,” said Mr Eric Robinson, the commission’s manager in New Zealand. “If we were in the northern hemisphere we would be able to offer an alterna-

tive season. Instead we can offer only different conditions and facilities.”

Mr Robinson, a keen skier who has shares in a lodge at Turoa (Mount Ruapehu), is centring his efforts on those skiers planning an Australian holiday for reasons other than just ski-ing, and those people looking for a change at a reasonable cost.

“What we can offer are resorts right in the snow, tremendous scope for crosscountry ski-ing, good snow cover, renowned apres-ski fun, opportunities for sightseeing, other winter sports, and all the normal potential of an Australian holiday,” he said.