Shopping catalogue to push N.Z. goods

Press, 27 June 1987, Page 6

Shopping catalogue to push N.Z. goods

PA . Wellington Tourist. - industry officials have high hopes that a new-look shopping catalogue will boost spies of New Zealand products .iovisiting overseas, : tour-, ists. . • - .• ~ ■fi The high-quality catalogue of.-; New Zealand products will list manufacturers ', and wholesalers of a range of premier goods as .well as.- the appropriate retail outlets. More, than half, a, million “passports to. New Zealand products” will be made available free of charge to all overseas tourjsts and . will be : printed in 2 English and Japanese. . The catalogue marked a significant step in encouraging increased tourist spending and creating greater awareness of New Zealand products domestically and internationally, the project leader and member of the New Zea-

land Market Development Board, Mr Rodney walshe said today. «Board research had shown that overseas tourists spent more than $250 million a year in New

Zealand shops, out of tourist travel expenditure of just under $1 billion, he said. . , . • “However, the opinion within the tourist industry •is that New . Zealand .has few products which tourists feel they must purchase on their arrival here. “We Relieve tourists really do : not know, about ; the wide range of quality products available . here, or : why they: should buy products in New Zealand.. The catalogue..,, project aims to change this.” Mr Walshe said the catalogue, which is, designed to fit into a travel document folder, would be divided into sections covering different categories such as outdoor products, knitted products, jewellery and food.

Each section would be endorsed by a prominent New Zealander.

The board hoped - to, complete the catalogue by September, to take, advantage of the peak tourism period from October to February, Mr Walshe said.'