Auckland Airport announces new $200k tourism HOT marketing competition

Springboard to help foster innovation and development within the sector

Established to help innovative operators develop tourism initiatives, and with a focus on emerging Asian High Opportunity Target (HOT) markets such as China, Indonesia and India, Auckland Airport has created a $200,000 "HOT" markets marketing competition and is calling for submissions.

Judged by Auckland Airport's Aeronautical Commercial Team, successful applicants can receive up to $200,000 in marketing support and business development assistance and the prize will be allocated to the businesses that put forward the best Asian "HOT" market business / marketing strategy.

The judges will be looking for companies that have viable marketing strategies, strong forward planning, can demonstrate innovation and an understanding of the target market and that are either taking a multi-channel approach or demonstrate in-depth thinking in one channel.

The fund follows on from the Best Asia Strategy that the company announced last year, which saw $25,000 won by three New Zealand-based tourism businesses targeting Asia. After the success of last year Auckland Airport has now decided to increase the prize pool to $200,000 with a focus on "HOT" markets, as well as opening up the competition not only to New Zealand-based tourism businesses targeting "HOT" markets, but also off-shore tourism wholesalers selling New Zealand as a destination.

"This fund is part of our Ambition 2020 initiative to increase New Zealand's share from high growth markets," says Glenn Wedlock, Auckland Airport's General Manager Aeronautical Commercial. "We are committed to working with tourism operators to increase visitor arrivals to New Zealand, develop product to meet demand and achieve greater value from visitors."

"New Zealand is renowned for its innovation and the tourism sector here is no exception. We want to support innovation within the industry to ensure we continue to grow and develop in new emerging Asian "HOT" markets for the benefit of our trade and tourism sector and ultimately the entire New Zealand economy," says Mr Wedlock.

Ali Howie, owner/operator of Bularangi Motorbikes, was a successful applicant in last year's competition and says the whole experience has been invaluable. "Bularangi Motorbikes offer Harley Davidson tours around New Zealand and being a recipient of the Asia Tourism Fund has just opened so many doors for our business. Auckland Airport has worked really closely with us to raise our profile awareness and they have managed to put us on the radar of people that otherwise we never would have reached."

"The Asian market has been such a massive area of growth for our business and having Auckland Airport include us in famils for their clients, such as China Southern Airlines, has been invaluable in increasing product knowledge of our niche business," finishes Ali.

The "HOT" markets marketing competition is just one of a host of initiatives that Auckland Airport has implemented in the last year as part of its Ambition 2020 strategy, such as a range of programmes in the digital marketing space including large scale social media linked back to travel agents, NZ tourism operators, airlines and the travel websites to help the industry develop increased profile and penetration in market.

Written submissions in the Auckland Airport "HOT" markets marketing competition must provide a 12 month marketing strategy of no more than 1,000 words. New Zealand based tourism businesses must provide an overview of their marketing strategy to promote and sell their business in one or more of the Asian HOT markets. Offshore wholesalers based in Asian "HOT" markets and selling New Zealand travel must provide an overview of how they will promote and sell New Zealand in their home market.

Visit www.ambition2020.co.nz for the entry form and further information including the terms and conditions.