New Zealand Bets on Event Tourism

Like many other nations, New Zealand wants to pursue the potential rewards resulting from event tourism, or attracting visitors with major events. Part of that strategy is dictated by New Zealand's location, at a distance from many of the tourist-generating countries. Even as they plunge forward, though, the nation's tourism officials should consider how to measure the effects of event tourism, the better to determine what works and what doesn't. The authors offer a framework for developing such a strategy. Gaps that now exist in the nation's event-tourism strategy include, for instance, the lack of coordination among most of the hotel organizations, restaurants, tour operators, and theme parks, and the lack of planning for event-tourism opportunities. Moreover, the government is unable to commit adequate resources to build up the system necessary for promoting event tourism due to uncertainty of desired return on investment. Rather than go event by event, New Zealand would be well advised to take a long view on its strategic approach for attracting international tourists and making event tourism profitable.