According to the latest International Visitor Arrivals report, a record 142,608 Australians flew into Wellington last year – an increase of 6.7% on 2012.
The capital’s year-end growth was the largest of the country’s three major centres and compared to a national increase of 5.4%.
The strong Australian market also contributed to an unprecedented total of international visitor arrivals to Wellington for 2013, with the 186,096 arrivals beating 2011’s previously held record by 5.6%.
Positively Wellington Tourism (PWT) Chief Executive David Perks says the growth in Australian arrivals should further be boosted as a result of partnering with Destination Marlborough at this week’s popular Australian consumer event, Taste of Sydney.
A marquee highlighting the Marlborough region will showcase the capital as the gateway to the world famous Sauvignon Blanc region.
“Australians absolutely adore Marlborough sauvignon and being tucked between two of New Zealand’s finest wine regions is a real selling point for Wellington,” Perks says.
“Through championing the wider region’s food and beverage offering, we not only present travellers with a range of experiences, but also encourage repeat visitation and reaffirm Wellington’s position as the country’s culinary capital.”
The regional joint marketing venture is a partnership between PWT and Destination Marlborough, run in conjunction with Interislander and supported by Air New Zealand.
Perks says partnership and originality has been pivotal to getting cut-through in Australia’s cluttered advertising environment, cementing Wellington as a destination of choice for our trans-Tasman friends.
As well as being in front of 25,000 Australians at Taste of Sydney this week, Mr Perks says 2014 has also seen a Tourism New Zealand partnership campaign showcasing golf tourism to the capital and the showing of a 3D trailer promoting the World of WearableArt Awards Show at trade screenings of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
The craft beer capital is also set to be showcased at May’s Great Australian Beer Spectapular, in a partnership between PWT, Grow Wellington and New Zealand Trade & Enterprise.
“The Great Australian Beer Spectapular is a fantastic platform at which to tell Wellington’s craft beer story, with tickets to Beervana launching just a matter of days later,” Perks says. “This enables us not only to showcase the year-round proposition, but deliver a ‘book now’ call-to-action.”