Following a successful first year, Auckland’s Destination Partnership Programme, developed by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited as an interim funding solution to attract leisure travellers and business events to the region, will be extended.
Businesses can now register for the second year of the programme, starting July 1, 2024.
The first year of the programme generated NZ$1.9 million (US$1.1 million) from more than 140 businesses from across the visitor economy sector – including local tourism operators, accommodation providers, business event service providers, and venues. Platinum Partners in year one included Accor Hotel Group, Cordis Auckland, Hospitality Services, SkyCity Group, and Auckland Airport.
Annie Dundas, director of destination at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, said that the programme has been critical to delivering important activity on behalf of Auckland’s visitor economy.
She said: “By joining forces with the industry, we can continue to position Auckland as a destination of choice for leisure travellers and business events in an incredibly competitive environment globally.
“Reflecting on our first year, we are thrilled with the support from industry, from major players such as Auckland Airport and the SkyCity Group, through to smaller operators like Time Unlimited Tours and Beyond the Blue. We want to build on this success and extend the offer and opportunity to the wider industry to share in and support Auckland’s success.”
Taking feedback into consideration, the extended programme will come with two new partnership levels to enable smaller or emerging businesses, such as restaurants, retail or business services, to be part of Auckland’s tourism success story.
There are seven levels of partnership on offer, starting at a free Partner Listing. The two new partnership levels are Love AKL, for small and emerging tourism businesses, and those businesses indirectly benefiting from tourism and events, such as retail and restaurants; and Destination Services Partner, for tourism marketing and support providers, including web design and accounting suppliers.
Partnership benefits vary by level, ranging from a basic business listing on Discover Auckland – Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s online platform which carries destination information, to opportunities across marketing, sales and promotion; tradeshows; education and insights; networking and events (local and international); and advocacy and governance.
The programme funds a robust itinerary of consumer and trade marketing activity in the domestic, Australia and North America markets especially, as well as the attraction of business events to the Auckland region.
With a career spanning over 30 years, she joins Capella Hotel Group from Urban Resort Concepts where she served as senior vice president of commercial strategy and business development since 2021.
Accor has signed a hotel management agreement with Red Panda Property to manage a five-star Pullman hotel in the heart of Launceston city in Tasmania, Australia.
Pullman Launceston will be Accor’s first Pullman property in Tasmania, and sixth hotel in Launceston overall.
Designed by DKO, Pullman Launceston will regenerate a heritage-listed educational building into a 139-room hotel with restaurants, bars, and event venues.
The project is expected to be completed in 1H2027.
Located on a hillside on Wellington Street, the hotel tower will be the second tallest building in Launceston, with views of the city and adjacent Tamar River. The top of the hotel will feature a rooftop bar showcasing local produce and wines from the Tamar Valley.
In 2021, Launceston was named as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, one of only 36 cities worldwide. Within easy proximity to Royal Park and Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, there are also plans to build a natural linkage to other recent developments and the Seaport precinct where guests can take river cruises.
Red Panda Property owner and director, Andrew McCullagh, said the project would significantly elevate Launceston’s tourism infrastructure while delivering economic and cultural benefits to the local community.
He shared: “Preserving Launceston’s heritage was our foremost consideration, and our plans to regenerate the area will enable visitors to enjoy a rich combination of history and modernity in the one precinct.”
“With nature and food-based tourism being such powerful drivers of travel, Launceston and Tasmania have so much to offer domestic and international travellers… and with Launceston attracting new direct air services, we believe the arrival of the Pullman can further energise the State’s tourism sector,” said Adrian Williams, COO, PM&E, Accor Pacific.