New Zealand begins new tourism marketing campaign as post-COVID visits lag By Reuters

By Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand is launching a brand new tourism marketing campaign with director and actor Taika Waititi to draw guests after the sector was hammered by COVID-19 and border closures.

Tourism New Zealand on Wednesday will premiere a 3-1/2 minute promotional movie that includes the Oscar winner and Jade Daniels, his stunt double within the HBO romantic comedy collection “Our Flag Means Demise” which is filmed in New Zealand.

Guests from United States are a serious audience, mentioned Rene de Monchy, chief govt for Tourism New Zealand. The movie, shot in December 2022, will even play on social media platforms in Australia, Germany, the UK and components of Asia.

“Competitors is heating up and financial instances are a bit robust in lots of components of the world so we have to maintain being revolutionary and high of thoughts for folks.”

Previous to COVID and the closure of New Zealand’s borders, worldwide tourism was New Zealand’s largest supply of international change and accounted for about 5.5% of gross home product.

Vacationers are returning however abroad guests in July had been nonetheless 16% decrease than in July 2019.

The movie, which price NZ$689,000($409,890) to make, highlights actions like dolphin watching in Kaikoura on the South Island’s east coast and wine tasting within the nation’s largest metropolis Auckland.

($1 = 1.6810 New Zealand {dollars})