Govt boosts funding to promote NZ in growth markets

The New Zealand government is to step up funding to promote the country as a tourist destination in growing markets such as China and Latin America as part of a package of "internationally focused growth initiatives."

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key said in a published speech to a business audience in Wellington that New Zealand's prosperity was highly dependent on its ability to form and maintain strong links with countries around the world.

"Exports of goods and services, including tourism and international education are vitally important for our economy," said Key.

"As my recent visits to China and Latin America have demonstrated, there is huge potential for New Zealand in these and other growth markets. My government is committed to continuing its work with the private sector to encourage and facilitate more growth in exports."

The government's annual Budget, to be released next month, would see a significant investment to help drive even more focus on international growth areas.

"Today I am announcing that, as part of this package, we will be investing an additional 158 million NZ dollars (133.85 million U.S. dollars) over four years into tourism," said Key.

In the year ended March, tourism, which employed 6.2 percent of the national workforce, generated 9.6 billion NZ dollars of revenue and accounted for 15.4 percent of export earnings and 3.3 percent of GDP.

The new funding would accelerate the work already underway in attracting high value tourists, and supporting and growing emerging and existing markets.

"It will also be utilised to encourage innovation, bring international events to New Zealand and simplify visa processes," he said.

Chief executive of Tourism New Zealand, Kevin Bowler, said the new funding package would enable the government agency to grow the value tourism generated for the economy through targeted initiatives.

"This significant funding increase comes on the back of a strong start to the calendar year in terms of visitor arrivals, with a number of key markets in growth, including China, the U.S., Canada and Japan," Bowler said in a statement.