New Tourist Queensland™ to help tourism industry

New Tourist Queensland™ to help invigorate our tourism industry

Our most crucial Tourist Queensland™ publication yet – one specifically for Kiwis – will help more New Zealanders plan holidays in our Sunshine State .

Still struggling from the devastating effects of COVID, Queensland’s tourism operators will have the chance to showcase themselves to Australia’s most reliable tourism market – New Zealand – through a publication widely distributed through the Land of the Long White Cloud in 2022.

Prior to COVID, Australia annually hosted more New Zealand visitors than any other country in the world, excepting China. In fact, New Zealand’s 1.4337 million visitors to Australia in 2019, almost pipped China’s 1.4387 million visitors1.

Coastline Newspaper Group Managing Director Michael McRae “Queensland has long been a favourite destination for New Zealand visitors, especially during the winter months as they soak up our trademark warmer weather on the Gold and Sunshine coasts and beaches further north,” Mr McRae said.

“New Zealand is key to revitalising Queensland’s tourism industry, and vice versa.”

Sevenpenny bar manager Krystal Sardelich-Mcnutt, from New Zealand’s South Island, is counting the days until the Queensland/New Zealand border reopens – so she can visit our golden beaches again.

“I’d planned to come in July to take two friends to theme parks on the Gold Coast, but COVID hit,” Krystal said. “Queensland is a great place to visit – I love its beaches because they have real sand. Over here on the (NZ) west coast, we have stony beaches and the water is way too cold. Australia also has ‘big’ things like the Big Banana and the Big Pineapple.”

Like many New Zealanders, Krystal still considers America and other countries a bit too risky. “New Zealand and Australia are two of the safer places in the world – I can’t wait till our borders reopen again,” she said.

Nearly 30% of New Zealand’s 4.69 million population visited Australia in 2018, spending $2.6 billion and an average of 10 nights2.

“New Zealand’s most popular destinations are Sydney (32%), Melbourne (27%), and Brisbane (19%)2, but Queensland may start to top that list, due to our reduced COVID risk – we are a very safe and attractive destination right now,” Mr McRae said.

Tourist Queensland™ is an affordable way to help your business or event gain a much bigger slice of the tourist market. It not only helps you reach New Zealand tourists who are planning their holiday and looking for places to stay and things to do but, in some cases, it even helps visitors find the Queensland region that suits them best.

“With a lot of negativity in the world, Tourist Queensland is something positive that we can do for our tourism industry – and help Queensland’s economy at the same time.”

The Tourist Queensland™ NZ publication will feature stories and pictures highlighting Queensland’s many holiday destinations, including the Sunshine, Gold and Capricorn

Coasts; Brisbane, Hervey Bay and Bundaberg; and the Whitsundays, Tropical North, West, Gemfields and Granite Belt.

“This Tourist Queensland edition is planned for mid 2023,” Mr McRae said.

“The publication will be distributed through well-established tourist attractions, motels and other outlets in the North and South Island, with collection points including Lake Resort Cromwell, Te Popo Gardens Stratford, Ahipara Holiday Park, Tui Brewery Mangatainoka, Carisbrook Motel Dunedin, the Coromandel Court Motel and Christchurch airport.”

The Coastline Newspaper Group has produced Tourist Queensland™ since EXPO 1988, with the first New Zealand edition launched in 2014. To view previous editions, visit touristqueensland.com

For bookings, telephone 07 4153 1133 or email ads@coastlinenews.com.au  

Data Sources:

1. Tourism Australia, https://www.tourism.australia.com/content/dam/assets/document/1/c/0/j/h/2240189.pdf

2. Tourism Australia, http://www.tourism.australia.com/en/markets-and-stats/tourism-statistics/international-market-performance.html