Sails pitch pays off in visitor numbers

By SIMON HENDERY

Judging by the steady stream of foreign visitors ambling around Auckland's Viaduct Harbour, it seems that turning a South Pacific yachting regatta into a tourism drawcard has been plain sailing.

But for Tourism New Zealand and the other organisations involved all working on limited budgets - raising the country's profile and steering tourists to this part of the world for the regatta have been an exercise with the complexity of a tacking duel in light winds.

As a government body with an international infrastructure and a total budget of just over $50 million, Tourism New Zealand does not have money to burn on marketing events such as the America's Cup.

Its key strategy has been to convert world media interest in the regatta into interest in New Zealand as a tourism destination.

The strategy proved effective during New Zealand's 1999/2000 defence of the trophy. Tourism NZ dealt with 1600 international journalists and estimates the cup coverage reached 400 million people through 1500 hours of television coverage in 98 countries.

Press coverage included destination pieces in prominent publications including the New York Times, the Sydney Morning Herald, the International Herald Tribune and Britain's Times.

This time, Tourism NZ expects more coverage, with 1800 journalists in town for the regatta.

In Tourism NZ's bi-monthly newsletter, Tourism News, chief executive George Hickton says journalists returning to Auckland for the second time this year are expected to take more of an interest in writing non-yachting pieces about the country.

"During and after the last series of the America's Cup we had unprecedented destinational coverage of New Zealand, but this time, with journalists on less of a learning curve, we expect that they may have an opportunity to focus even more on stories about New Zealand," he says.

The presence of a British challenge will help to push interest and coverage from our second-biggest tourist market.

Britain's GMTV will be at the regatta and the BBC has rights to cover the series.

Tourism NZ has based itself at the Louis Vuitton media centre. Its booth offers tourism information and resources to foreign media and "hosting opportunities" to those interested in experiencing the country's tourist attractions.

The country's regional tourism organisations are also showcasing their regions for a week at a time at the media centre.

As the local host regional organisation, Tourism Auckland is also involved in the media centre booth and runs the i-Site visitor information centre on the Viaduct Harbour. It has also published tourist guides and its initiatives include featuring the America's Cup and Louis Vuitton in a domestic television and print advertising campaign.

Other regional tourism organisations, such as Tourism Coromandel and Destination Marlborough, are piggybacking on the regatta, marketing themselves as alternative yachting get-away destinations.

The cruise ship industry is also staking a claim. More than 2000 international cruise passengers are expected to be among the spectators watching February's races between Team New Zealand and the winner of the Louis Vuitton series.

Luxury vessels the Silver Whisper and floating apartment block The World have timed their visits to Auckland to coincide with cup races. Another cruise ship, the Europa, will spend two days in Auckland during the regatta.

It will be The World's first visit to this country and Cruise New Zealand chairman Craig Harris says the cup proved to be the hook the ship's owners needed to include New Zealand on its itinerary.

Tourism NZ America's Cup


nzherald.co.nz/americascup

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