Air New Zealand launched a four-week campaign in Sydney yesterday to promote its new trans-Tasman flights. The campaign, launched in liaison with Destination Rotorua Tourism Marketing (DRTM), features bus side, online, office tower, and print advertising featuring the healing hot springs that are world-renowned throughout the region. Publications to feature this advertising include the Sydney Morning Herald, Sun Herald, and Fairfax News Digital.
Air New Zealand general manager Tasman Pacific Airline Glen Sowry said the new service will further highlight the diverse tourism offerings of New Zealand: “Rotorua is an iconic destination with thermal features not seen anywhere else in the world. This campaign aims to both remind Australians of what lies just three hours away and also introduce people to the natural wonders of this incredible region.”
The first flight from Sydney to Rotorua is on December 12, with Air New Zealand to run a twice-weekly service from December 19 on Saturdays and Mondays until January 31. Flights will then operate on Saturdays and Tuesdays.
To complement Air New Zealand’s campaign, DRTM is promoting Rotorua through other channels. Hannah Blake, Australian PR advisor, has so far confirmed five journalists to go to Rotorua on the first flight. Each of these journalists will write travel features on the region, giving Rotorua invaluable coverage.
“This campaign is the start of continuing marketing activity that we will be undertaking in the Sydney and NSW region,” DRTM general manager Don Gunn said. “We need to build awareness of what Rotorua and the central North Island have to offer, and this is a great start. We want to ensure that the Sydney/Rotorua services are well supported by Sydneysiders, so that eventually we will see an increased number of flights between the destinations.”
Visitor arrivals into New Zealand from the Australian market continue to improve, with the figure up 15 percent (12,645) for the month of September 2009 over September 2008. Rotorua is now perfectly placed to get a higher percentage of those visitors.
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