The ‘Everyone Must Go’ campaign, encouraging Australians to choose New Zealand for their next holiday, has hit its mark out of the park.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said ‘Everyone Must Go’ was initially targeted at 6,750 additional arrivals over the autumn but ended up significantly exceeding expectations.
“Everyone Must Go’ has been a winner. Tourism NZ stats released to me show it delivering an additional 7,981 visitors to smash its initial forecasts,” said Louise Upston.
“It also attracted significant attention on both sides of the Tasman, and got Kiwis and Aussies talking about New Zealand as a destination."
Upston said that tourism is a key part of the plan to grow the economy, create jobs, lift wages and help Kiwis get ahead. ‘Everyone Must Go’ is an excellent example of the sector and the Government working together to achieve these goals.
“We knew Aussies would recognise it as a great opportunity. Just like they grabbed Phar Lap and pavlova, it’s proved the same story with ‘Everyone Must Go.’"
A key part of this campaign’s success was the deals the tourism industry came to the party with. This team approach showed that it can deliver outstanding results for the sector when Government and industry are joined up and working towards the same goals.
“Every one of those Australian visitors who ate at cafes and restaurants, visited tourist attractions and shopped in our towns and cities has helped the New Zealand tourism sector grow, and boosted the Kiwi economy in the process."
More than 800 deals from 450 operators across accommodation, transport and experiences were available during the campaign.
The initial NZD 500,000 campaign spend delivered a solid return on investment, leading to an additional NZD 300,000 to further boost the campaign.
This campaign was the first Tourism Boost initiative, and these positive results show that with the right investment in the right markets, we will drive economic growth.
