Rugby World Cup to boost tourism
The Rugby World Cup might be over, but Auckland is set to see the benefits for years to come. Dr Michael Lück says the exposure the city received during the event will see a new generation of international visitors travel here, along with New Zealanders who have a new appreciation for the city.Fourteen matches were held in the city, including both semi-finals and the final, which meant the city was showcased to the world through international television coverage. The city also featured in special shows on CNN and Al Jazeera, which were broadcast around the world. Approximately 80,000 people have travelled to New Zealand - mostly to Auckland - for the tournament in the past three months, and they have spent millions in the city. Almost 750,000 tickets were sold to Auckland matches, and The Cloud on Queen's Wharf welcomed over a million visitors.
NZTRI Associate Directort Dr Michael Lück says the event puts New Zealand "on the map" and Auckland will see benefits from repeat visitors. "There will certainly be a new generation of additional tourists coming.
"People who have been here could have kind of an affiliation or a heart for New Zealand already, and they are longing to come back."
He compares the success of the tournament to when Auckland hosted the America's Cup. "Having been down at The Cloud and Wynyard Quarter and Queen St, no-one can tell me there is no economic benefit there. "It's amazing how many people are here and they're spending money." He says souvenir, rugby and sports shops are full of visitors spending money. But he says we should not overlook the benefit from domestic tourism. "We always think about overseas visitors but generally domestic tourism generates much, much more money than international tourism."
Tourism Research Institute associate director Dr Geoff Dickson was interviewed on NewsTalk ZB. He says the cup has simply cemented New Zealand's positive reputation around the world.
"A positive perception is one thing, it's a matter of translating those perceptions and behavioural intentions into actual decisions and visits to New Zealand and that's a difficult thing to measure," he told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking.
"At this stage of the assessment it's clear to see that there were a great many positive impacts associated with the event and the question we need to consider in the months and years ahead is whether these short term impacts translate into a longer term legacy."
