Marlborough Promotions

Press, 18 December 1985, Page 45

Marlborough Promotions

Marlborough Promotions became operative on April 1 when it absorbed and incorporated the Marlborough Public Relations Association.

The new organisation’s steering committee, formed in May, 1984, had decided that a new image was needed for Marlborough. Marlborough has long been a province of plenty, but its potential for tourism is only now being realised and acknowledged. Local bodies have supported the new organisation and have collectively contributed $55,000 towards its operations for the 1985-86 year.

The future success of Marlborough Promotions will depend to a great extent on continuing financial support from local bodies.

The chairman of Marlborough Promotions, Mrs L. M. Randle, said an increase in membership would be a major objective during the next few months. At least 40 per cent of the operating budget should be achieved from membership fees. “We need to concentrate on making our local people aware of all aspects of tourism and how they, their families and their businesses can benefit,” she said.

Marlborough has only a three per cent share of the domestic tourist market so the potential for promoting the province is wide open. Local people must become more aware of how important conferences are for the province. If attending one they should bid to have the next in Marlborough. A close working relationship is being developed between the four regions of Kaikoura, Havelock, Picton and Blenheim. A seminar, “Marlborough’s Tourist Dollar — Let’s Make it Real,” was attended by about 80 . people from throughout the area.

The association’s first participation in a promotional campaign, Korero Aotearoa, was in the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, at Labour Weekend. Marlborough’s delegates represented the only South Island region taking part in a campaign aimed at 300 Australian travel agents who had travelled by the new 767 service to Wellington. A first-class display and excellent samples of some of the region’s products contributed to the success of Marlborough’s first venture

into such promotional activity-

Mrs Randle said the association had commissioned the consulting firm of Murray North and Partners to prepare a tourism strategy for Marlborough. One preliminary report had been received, another is expected this month and the final report is scheduled for March. “We intend to market and promote our province aggressively. We will be promoting in Christchurch early in February and in Wellington in March. We are also considering attending the Adelaide International Exposition in May,” Mrs Randle said.