Locals Discounts Available on Free Business Advertising - FREE! Business on the Sunshine Coast needs a bit of help at the moment, we have come up with a WIN WIN situation... Learn more...

Online Advertising Special Promotion We have proof that continued adverting works, especially when times are tough .... as a testiment to our continued high ranking in search engines... Learn more...

<< Back to articles view

This is an archived copy of an article that has already passed. It is online for informational purposes only.

Queensland to be the talk of New Zealand OZTalk

Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading

The Honourable Peter Lawlor

19/03/2010

Queensland Tourism Ambassador Ben Southall will be the face of a Queensland trade mission to New Zealand today to drum up business for the state's tourism operators, Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor said today.

Mr Lawlor said Ben, who was Tourism Queensland's Caretaker for the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef in 2009, is joining more than 50 Queensland tourism operators to attend OZTalk 2010 in Auckland from 19-21 March.

"This partnership event between Tourism Australia, Tourism Queensland and other Australian states is the biggest travel expo of its kind in New Zealand and is in its ninth year," Mr Lawlor said.

"As part of his ambassadorial duties, Ben will be busy promoting Queensland at OZTalk and his schedule includes an appearance on breakfast television and talking about his favourite Queensland experiences to the local press.

"Ben achieved iconic status in New Zealand during the Best Job in the World campaign so it's wo nderful to have him over there reinforcing to Kiwis what a great place Queensland is to visit."

Mr Lawlor said OZTalk presented a prime opportunity for Queensland's tourism regions and individual operators to sell their products and services directly to New Zealand's key travel agents and wholesalers.

"Of about 140 Australian representatives attending, I'm delighted that the Queensland contingent will make up 40 percent of the total product being presented to the New Zealanders," he said.

"The event follows Tourism Queensland's recent $400,000 "Find yourself the best holiday in the world" campaign, staged in conjunction with Jetstar, which aimed to encourage more Kiwis to visit Queensland.

"OZTalk also provides the Queensland tourism industry with an opportunity to promote the introduction of twice-weekly Pacific Blue air services from Auckland to Cairns from 23 March."

Mr Lawlor said the first two days of OZTalk wo uld enable Queensland operators and regions, including the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Whitsundays and Tropical North Queensland, to sell product directly to travel agents and wholesalers.

"On the third day, OZTalk becomes a public travel expo with about 7000 potential holidaymakers expected to walk through the door," he said.

"This gives Queensland regions and operators the opportunity to sell Queensland as a holiday destination directly to the New Zealand public.

"Our state will be hard to miss at this expo with Tourism Queensland providing a high profile stand decked out with Queensland imagery and branding.

"Ben will be the face of this stand, meeting and greeting Kiwis and talking about his Queensland experiences."

Tourism Queensland Acting CEO Steve McRoberts said New Zealand was Queensland's biggest source of international visitors.

"More people from New Zealand visit Queensland th an from any other international market," Mr McRoberts said.

"398,000 New Zealanders came to Queensland in the year ended December 2009 and spent $531 million to their trips to Queensland.

"OZTalk is an important way of ensuring the state's profile as a holiday destination stays top of mind in New Zealand and encourages more bookings for Queensland operators."

Permanent Link: Queensland to be the talk of New Zealand OZTalk
Publish Date: 19 Mar 10

Article Contact Details

Queensland Government, Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry (Tourism Queensland) :
30 Makerston Street, Tourism Queensland House, Brisbane
Phone: 07 3535 3535
Fax: 07 3535 5438

Comments / Have your say

You can't post on an expired article.

Any comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited or refused. Include your name (or alias for those who wish to be anonymous), and email address (only used for verification), your location is optional. ( Publication guidelines / disclaimer for article and comment content ). Any comment that is; is offensive, includes profanity, only a personal attack, is illegal, meaningless (spam), or contains obvious factual errors, will not be posted, at the sole discretion of our staff.