Californians encouraged to visit NZ

An advertising campaign is planned for LA.

An advertising campaign promoting New Zealand is being launched in southern California.

Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand are pushing the message that Auckland is easily accessible from Los Angeles. It is a 12-hour flight between the two cities.

Air New Zealand's Marketing Director for the Americas, Rebecca Nicol, says they are having to think of something different to catch the eye of locals in advertising-saturated LA.

One idea used successfully in San Francisco was having a full scale kayaker on top of the billboard with a picture of a New Zealand waterfall below.

America is New Zealand's third largest visitor market, adding around $600 million a year to the economy.

- NEWSTALK ZB