N.Z. may be on verge of ‘travel explosion'

Press, 8 February 1986, Page 30

N.Z. may be on verge of ‘travel explosion'

PA Wellington New Zealand may be on the verge of a “travel explosion” from the United States that could send shock waves through the tourist industry, said Mr David Chapman, Senior Travel Commissioner in Los Angeles. Mr Chapman, who has over-all responsibility for New Zealand’s tourist offices in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Vancouver, said a 49 per cent increase in holiday visitors from the United States “could be the start of something really big.” “I hope that the New Zealand travel industry is braced and ready for the great influx of American tourists we could see very shortly,” Mr Chapman said. Statistics in October showed a total of 112,983 American visitors arrived in New Zealand in the year ended October 31, 1985, compared with 97,556 American visitors for the year ended October 31, 1984. This was a

15.8 per cent increase. “Even more significant is the increase in the monthly total of 15,265 visitors for October, 1985, over 11,124 for October, 1984, which is a 37.2 per cent increase.”

The October figures also showed a 49 per cent increase in Americans arriving in New Zealand purely for holiday reasons, he said. “We are now getting almost daily advice from retail travel agents and others about the tremendous interest being shown by North Americans in the South Pacific and New Zealand. “Part of the reason is the very real concern many Americans now have about their safety in Europe and latest information shows that industry bookings for Britain and France are down 25 per cent. “A poll conducted by a major travel trade magazine shows that, 87 per cent of travel agents predict that terrorist incidents will affect their international business in

1986.” New Zealand, however, was being viewed as a safe part of the world, he said.

The Minister of Tourism, Mr Moore, had also increased the advertising budget at the right time.

“He doubled our advertising budget just when we needed it to take advantage of this swing towards the Pacific by the travelling American public and we are now right in the middle of that campaign,” said Mr Chapman.

Another main factor in drawing more American tourists has been Air New Zealand’s excellent “Kiwi Smile” television advertising campaign in the United States, and the opening of new air links with Canada.

“If you add to all this, the potential of United Airlines this year with all that company’s promotional clout, we have the marketing forces at •work which might just produce the largest friendly invasion of Americans ever seen in New Zealand,” he said.