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Tourism is playing an important role in the New Zealand economy and it’s expected to continue to grow as an economic driver.
Travel and tourism generated 18 percent of New Zealand’s GDP in 2017, according to research published by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), and that figure is forecast to rise by nearly 3 percent to account for as much as 20 percent of New Zealand GDP over the next decade.
In fact, tourism is growing faster than the overall economy in the country. The travel sector grew by 3.2 percent in 2017, while New Zealand’s economy as a whole grew by 2.9 percent. The country is ranked as the 32nd largest travel economy in the world.
It is also a major factor for employment in the country. Overall, travel and tourism accounted for 212,000 jobs in the country, nearly 9 percent of total employment.
The WTTC expects those numbers to grow as well. By 2028, the organization predicts that there will be more than 275,000 tourism-related jobs in the country, nearly 11 percent of total employment.
“Travel & Tourism creates jobs, drives economic growth and helps build better societies. New Zealand is a prime example of this, as the country and its natural beauty is expected to attract over 2.7 million international tourist arrivals in 2018 alone. This represents a 3.9% economic increase from 2017 where visitor exports were responsible for generating $10 billion,” said Gloria Guevara, president and CEO, WTTC.
Tourism has risen up the agenda in New Zealand over recent years and I commend the government on its support for the sector. Going forward it will be vital for public and private sectors to continue to work together, with the close involvement of communities, to ensure that tourism growth is sustainable, inclusive and benefits everyone,” Guevara added.
As tourism grows in New Zealand, the country is repositioning its branding to attract even more visitors. Tourism New Zealand is working to expand its image among the traveling public to go beyond its striking landscapes, natural beauty and world-famous filming locations.
The new positioning focuses on the Kiwi spirit and highlights the country’s warm, welcoming feeling and the hospitality of local people.
“We’re going through a brand evolution. We are in the early stages of it and are just dipping our toe in the water,” Brodie Reid, global brand and content manager at Tourism New Zealand, told TravelPulse during a recent call from her New Zealand office. “Over the last while, we’ve just seen a number of competitors using the same type of content we’ve been using, so in order to keep us unique and relevant, we are focusing a bit more on what we believe makes us unique, our people and our culture, alongside our stunning landscape.”
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