A NEW DIRECTION
New strategy moves away from 100% Pure to focus on people and culture with the launch of global campaign
Tourism NZ now focusing on people and culture
Tourism New Zealand has changed tack in its 100% Pure campaign with a series of adverts shifting emphasis away from landscapes.
The new campaign, emphasising people and culture, will go global this week as the organisation faces a new challenge to explain the proposed border levy.
Tourism NZ, which had its funding from the Government cut in the May budget, said the new direction in its 100% Pure campaign was not a response to those who say the claim is dishonest given this country’s notso-pure environmental record.
“Not at all, to be fair. We hear a bit of rhetoric in the New Zealand media about the claim of the connection to the environment but at the heart of 100% Pure is people and the environment, which is what our visitors really buy into,” Tourism NZ’s chief executive Stephen England-Hall said.
He said the people and culture made this country unique.
“For a number of years we really emphasised the landscapes — but landscapes are something everyone has got, so how do we bring another dimension? New Zealand’s people and culture take centre stage.”
New Zealand was now competing for wealthy visitors against rivals in South America and Europe which promoted their spectacular scenery.
The 19-year-old 100% Pure campaign had already been through a number of shifts in emphasis, including making New Zealand 100% Middle Earth.
Four new videos will be used in markets in Australia, US, Britain, Germany, Japan, China, Indonesia, India and Brazil. They were made for $875,000 and follow a couple as they take road trips across New Zealand.
England-Hall said Tourism NZ was working with Ma¯ori Tourism and a range of industry participants to incorporate people and culture into New Zealand’s destination brand.
“It’s incredibly important we get this right. Our people and culture are diverse and multifaceted and we need to make sure we capture this authentically and deliver something Kiwis will embrace.”
Tourism NZ’s budget was cut by just under $6 million to $111m in the budget.
England-Hall said the reduced funding meant it would have to cut the number of people it would reach. The proposed tourism levy of between $25 and $35 was also something that would have to be communicated overseas.
“Our major concern with any change that is made to the visitor experience is how we communicate that and how do people see benefit in that,” he said.