Travel agents focus on Oz air link

Build it and we will come.

That's the message to Rotorua from Australian travel agents, who say transtasman flights are vital to the city's continued tourism growth.

More than 1200 exhibitors, media and travel agents are in Rotorua this week for the Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand trade expo, where New Zealand sells itself to the world.

Rotorua's transtasman air link is being touted as the next big thing for local tourism by influential travel agents selling holidays to New Zealand.

Group Events Ltd managing director Keith Weber, whose Sydney-based company brings up to 5000 people into Rotorua every year, said Rotorua was the best tourist destination in New Zealand and a transtasman air link would do wonders for the city.

"Rotorua has it all here but needs to offer a little bit more for Australians in the night time," he said.

Mr Weber is also the driving force behind Rhapsody Rotorua, a free concert by Australian school students held annually at the Civic Theatre.

"A bit more excitement at night would give people going to Surfers [Paradise] another reason to come to Rotorua."

At a media conference yesterday, New Zealand tourism chiefs emphasised the importance of both Australia and China to the tourism industry.

Tourism Industry Association chairman Norm Thompson said traditional markets such as Japan and Korea had seen a downturn in visitor numbers to New Zealand due to international credit pressure and the rising cost of airfares. "There are no growth prospects in Japan and Korea for the moment due to problems we cannot influence.

China International Travel Service agent Theresa Teng said Queenstown, Christchurch and Dunedin were the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists, with Rotorua being the forth most popular destination in New Zealand.

"Many Chinese go on holiday in February during the Spring Festival when people have some weeks off work.

Ms Teng said she told her clients Rotorua was a "must-see" destination and an airport would help her sell Rotorua to Chinese holiday makers.

"That is why so many Chinese go to the South Island. It is easy to travel to the best places.

"An air service from Sydney to Rotorua would make it easier to get Chinese into Rotorua," Ms Teng said.

Tourism minister Damien O'Connor said Rotorua residents should take pride in being one of three TRENZ destinations in New Zealand, the other two being Auckland and Christchurch.

"The opportunity to bring this number of offshore industry players to this location is something most regions in the country would kill for.

"The fact you have first-class facilities and easy access to activities means that everyone in Rotorua should be celebrating this. I know Christchurch and Auckland would love to have it back. The success of last year's TRENZ meant we had to come back here this year ... this is the return on the investment in the Energy Events Centre," Mr O'Connor said.