Key promotes tourism interests in Japan

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Key pumps tourism but figures fail to flatter

3News NZ

John Key

John Key

By Political Editor Duncan Garner in Tokyo

Prime Minister John Key will today push for Japanese tourists to visit New Zealand.

But the reality is, they no longer travel down-under in the numbers they used to.

Before the recession hit in 2008, more than 114,000 Japanese tourists visited New Zealand every year.

Now that figure is down to 68,000, in the year ending July 2012.

Mr Key puts the decline in numbers down to the recession but says he is keen to stop the decline.

So the Prime Minister will host an event in Tokyo this morning pushing the latest tourism campaign, called ‘100% Middle Earth -100% Pure New Zealand’.

Representatives from Air New Zealand and Warner Brothers will also speak at the event.

Air New Zealand is expected to reveal a number of Hobbit related initiatives at the event.

Mr Key will hold a formal meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Noda later today, before returning home to New Zealand tomorrow night.

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Comments

12/01/2013 5:41:28 a.m.

Graeme Simpson wrote:

I reside in the USA. My photography allows travel across the United States. I find Americans travelling less with the recession having an impact.. The 100% pure New Zealand does not sell the message. Americans are travelling to Europe. The Hobbit does have some attraction to travellers doing the backpackers experience. They are not big spenders! Air ticket discounts/ vouchers attract many Americans to travel. The Air NZ promotions are good news for tourism but the Government being the major share holder should look carefully at discounting flight travel if they want the the US tourist to come. Kiwis are friendly and welcoming people and tourists feel safe when visiting New Zealand.

11/09/2012 5:43:56 p.m.

David Harrison wrote:

What a load of bollocks PM 100% pure New Zealand.I agree but it was before Nats got back into power, now it is 99% asian and growing.Also the poverty has risen 100% since then also.Then turn around and blame the recession for the decline,and he has not Mentioned the Christchurch earthquake.And he will return home tomorrow night,should have been returning to visit NZ tomorrow night.

11/09/2012 4:21:44 p.m.

Mike wrote:

For all the moaning, NZ tourism figures are better than they have been, and with a global recession, thats surprising. Our dollar has strengthened against the US/EU/UK/Japan currencies due to the economic troubles they have had which will also have decreased tourist numbers from there.

Think it was July Tourism numbers were the best NZ had seen for 5 years, ie better than before the recession! Yes The US/EU/UK/Japan still hit by recession and our numbers from there are lower than they have been, but with recession, and Japan recovering from its quake damage this is no surprise. But our tourists are up from the countries which are performing better, like China, South Korea. But we all know how much the opposition loves Asians!

NZ's film production with Lord of the Rings, and now the Hobbit has been a good attraction of tourists to NZ, and while the Hobbit hasn't yet been released we are already getting some positive from it. Compare that to the negitive campaign the Greens run where they try to destroy our tourism for their EU puppet masters! The reality is you can't expect better record tourism every year - especially in a recession, so when numbers slump a little, even if they are still within the top 5 years for NZ, we have people complaining like they had their throat cut!

11/09/2012 1:50:43 p.m.

Expac kiwi wrote:

What a load of globalize rubbish!

JohnKey promotes tourism by flying all over the world, getting no result. talk about failure, anyone with a brain knows russian doesn't really need western nations.

11/09/2012 12:27:37 p.m.

Greg wrote:

I hope he talked about Tourism in Russia. Its long overdue to make the visa's there easier. Japans already well covered.