Tourism operators looking ahead to 2011

Forget about 2007 - Rotorua tourism operators are already getting set for the next Rugby World Cup.

While dreams of the All Blacks returning victorious this year have been smashed following their loss to France in the weekend's quarter-finals, there's plenty to look forward to, according to local tourism operators.

Rather than counting on any spin-off from this year's Rugby World Cup, when interest in the All Blacks and all things Kiwi appeared to be at an all-time high, they are planning for 2011 when New Zealand will host the tournament.

Destination Rotorua Tourism Marketing general manager Don Gunn said even if all the games were played in other New Zealand centres, the spin-off for Rotorua could be even greater than during the Lions Tour of 2005.

"The important thing now is to start focusing on 2011," he said.

The Lions tour, with a game hosted in Rotorua, saw thousands of fans and tourists converge on the city and a World Cup would see even more people travelling throughout the country, Mr Gunn said.

During the Lions tour about 15,000 tourists came to the region; it is estimated close to 70,000 tourists will visit Rotorua during the 2011 event. "As we have seen in France, people are travelling all over the country," Mr Gunn said.

Rotorua Tourism Advisory Board chairman Warren Harford said tourism operators were already planning how to extract "the best mileage" from the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Unlike, the America's Cup, rugby pool matches would be played in different cities throughout the country, which should place Rotorua accommodation providers in a good position, he said.

"Lots of people with rental cars and campervans will travel north and south for games.

"Many people will make Rotorua their base.

"It is only a drive away from Auckland.

"We are like a distribution point. Some will stop for one day or night while others will stay longer."

Australian fans in particular might find Rotorua the perfect base if transtasman flights were operating by then, Mr Harford said.

"That will just be the icing on the cake."

Meanwhile, travel agents say there has been no sudden rush to cancel tickets to France.

House of Travel had 35 coaches, filled with 1700 New Zealand tourists, in France at the moment.

The tours included - but were not solely limited to - the World Cup matches.

Retail director Brent Thomas said the type of travellers had changed over the years, from rowdy groups of men going on tour "with the boys" to couples who saw the rugby as part of their trip, he said.

And while the result of the quarterfinal was disappointing, New Zealanders in France were still on holiday.

"You just do what the Lions supporters did last year - they came out, lost three-nil, but boy did they have a great trip.

"They certainly didn't miss out on the fun and games of immersing themselves in the local culture.

"Some people have been planning this trip for three years. When they book their trips, they know what could happen, and there's more to France than one or two stadiums." Additional reporting NZPA