Where are the tourists?

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By ABIGAIL CASPARI
A dramatic drop in international visitors, especially from Japan, has Rotorua tourism leaders concerned.

Japan was once a key market for the region's tourism industry but figures released by Destination Rotorua Tourism Marketing show an estimated 10,000 fewer Japanese visited Rotorua last year.

That equates to a 31 per cent drop and tourism leaders are gearing up to do all they can to to claw back some of the decline.

Meanwhile, domestic tourism is booming with an estimated 842,000 New Zealanders staying in Rotorua last year - an increase of about 70,000. They spent an estimated $185.3 million while in Rotorua, up 11.5 per cent.

About 559,000 international visitors stayed in Rotorua, 60,000 less than the previous year - a 9.6 per cent drop. They spent $230 million, 10.1 per cent less than the previous year.

Overall, tourism was slightly up with 1.4 million visitors to the city - an increase of about 12,000.

The figures are based on the number of people staying at least two nights in Rotorua in either commercial accommodation or private homes. The figures do not include day-trippers.

Destination Rotorua Tourism Marketing general manager Don Gunn said he was concerned about the decline in the number of international visitors, especially the Japanese, who he said were now tending to travel a lot more within Asia.

It was also cheaper for them to fly to Europe or the United States.

Work was being done to revive the Japanese market, running a campaign in conjunction with Air New Zealand over the winter months.

Mr Gunn visited three of Japan's biggest cities recently and a Rotorua roadshow is planned for Japan later in the year.

Mr Gunn is also meeting 12 tourism wholesalers from Japan in Rotorua next week.

There will be 45 local exhibitors at next month's annual Trenz (Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand) conference in Rotorua, expected to attract about 360 international travel wholesalers.

Mr Gunn predicts the Japanese market will remain on a downward trend for the next year but he expects growth out of Australia, the United Kingdom, China and Korea, with no movement in the American market.

He said the city's Energy Events Centre would help keep the domestic tourist numbers up.

The number of tourists visiting Rotorua's 13 main attractions dropped 2.9 per cent last year.

Just over 2.1 million people visited the major attractions, including the Agrodome, Buried Village, Hell's Gate, Polynesian Spa and Skyline Skyrides.

However, more New Zealanders visited the attractions last year than in 2005 and Agrodome has attracted larger numbers of both domestic and international tourists.

Its managing director Warren Harford said that between last July and March this year Agrodome had had a 46 per cent increase in domestic tourists and a 13 per cent rise in international tourists.



There has been debate that people may not fly to New Zealand because of environmental concerns relating to long haul flights but Mr Harford said while he believed that could impact in the future, it could be alleviated by more marketing to promote New Zealand as environmentally friendly.

Tourists spoken to in Rotorua yesterday offered various possible reasons for the reduction in international visitors.

English couple Tim and Dee Ford, who have lived in Napier for 16 months, have heard people call Rotorua Americanised.

"It's just the layout and the atmosphere is like an American touristy town."

Melbourne couple Peter and Norma White were unsure.

"Perhaps they don't advertise enough."

They have been in Rotorua on a group tour and plan to return and travel around in a campervan because they enjoyed their time here so much.