Telegraph readers say NZ ‘always delivers’
Posted on 26. Nov, 2008 by Campbell in Industry News, Inside New Zealand
New Zealand is a destination which always delivers, according to 25,000 readers of the UK Daily Telegraph, who have just voted New Zealand one of their favourite destinations on earth. The paper says, “To coin a phrase from our Antipodean friends, New Zealand has now become the ‘mailman’ for Telegraph readers – it always delivers”.
Britain’s biggest poll
Reportedly Britain’s biggest poll of travel habits, the survey found that a “staggering” 92 percent of readers maintain that the credit crunch will have no effect on their choice of destination, while 96 percent resolutely refuse to downgrade their holiday accommodation.
Flying in the face of the global economic crisis, the survey revealed that favourite destinations outside Europe are ones where the pound has actually strengthened against the respective currencies in the past year, including the New Zealand, Australian and Canadian dollars and the South African Rand.
Unspoilt environment
Telegraph Group Travel Editor Graham Boynton said his readers had busy lives and liked New Zealand’s old-fashioned values and shared culture. “People like the friendliness of the people, the serenity and the beautiful, unspoilt environment of New Zealand. They can get in tune with the place and relax with the people,” he said. Mr Boynton added that New Zealand was a place people visited not for a few days, but for a few weeks, “to become part of things”. The Telegraph has a readership of 2.5 million.
Award-winning New Zealand
Last month New Zealand won the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, being named ‘Overall Winner’ as well as ‘Best Destination’.
In October, New Zealand won the Observer/ Guardian Readers’ Travel Awards for favourite long-haul destination.
Tourism New Zealand has just launched the new NZ$7.3 million ‘What Do You Say UK?’ campaign, which recently rated in the top 10 for advertising recall.
NZ’s high profile
“New Zealand’s profile has never been higher in the UK than it is at the moment and this is the icing on the cake of a huge week,” Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said from London.
“We never take these awards for granted and the New Zealand tourism industry is always looking for ways to improve people’s time in New Zealand to send them away with great stories to tell their friends and family,” Mr Hickton added.