Thousands of potential visitors to N.Z. declined

Press, 19 May 1987, Page 7

Thousands of potential visitors to N.Z. declined

About 1000 potential visitors to New Zealand are being turned away each month, says the New Zealand Tourist and Publicity Department’s Singapore office. The office claimed that about 3000 people had had to be turned away between December last year and .February because of seat shortages on flights to New Zealand. The office expects that to increase with an estimated 20 per cent increase in the numbers of Singaporians wanting to visit New Zealand. That is on top of a 65 per cent increase last year. Air New Zealand has announced plans that may alleviate the pressure. It will introduce a four-times-a-week service instead of its present twice-

weekly flights from Singa- i pore. It is hoped that this ■; will provide 50 extra seats; to New Zealand. However, the demand i for seats might increase' later this, year, said the office, because it was, launching a drive to en- 1 courage the Asian market to visit New Zealand. 1 Mr Nick Marks, the , office’s marketing officer, for Asia and developing *

markets, said' that while much of the office’s promotional activity was aimed at attracting Singaporeans to New Zealand in off-peak times, he expected the peak-time seat shortage to worsen as a result of the increased awareness of New Zealand among Asians. On the other hand there is no such space shortage for citrus fruit.