The Gold Coast held a successful three-city New Zealand this week. The GC’s message revolved around its reinvigoration the over the past two years, with new attractions and experiences that Kiwi clients have not seen before.

Product and destination updates designed to equip agents with the latest information to sell the Gold Coast came from 11 suppliers: Dreamworld & SkyPoint; The Breakers Absolute Beachfront Apartments; The Star Gold Coast; Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary; Dorsett Gold Coast; Village Roadshow Theme Parks; Gold Coast Watersports; Dreamtime Resorts; Tours & Attractions Group, Aquaduck & Southern Cross Tours; Harbour Town Premium Outlets Gold Coast; Accor; along with hosts Destination Gold Coast.

Each event included a major prize draw for a trip to Gold Coast, with two return airfares provided by airline partner Air New Zealand. The Christchurch winner was Flight Centre broker Ellie van der Leij. Man Nghi Luong of Aspire Travel Group won in Auckland and Kylie Wright of Travel Associates was the winner at the Wellington event.

• Dalwyn Sinclair, House of Travel... Dalwyn Sinclair, House of Travel...
• Auckland winner Man Nghi Luong... Auckland winner Man Nghi Luong...
• Mandy Veale, Tourism and Events... Mandy Veale, Tourism and Events...
• Gordon Bayne, Showponi (second from... Gordon Bayne, Showponi (second from...
• Amanda Southon, Sarah Hannah, both... Amanda Southon, Sarah Hannah, both...
• Abbie Sander,s Dreamtime Resorts and... Abbie Sander,s Dreamtime Resorts and...
• With Shirley Dodt, Aquaduck and... With Shirley Dodt, Aquaduck and...
• Janine Thompson, The Travel Brokers;... Janine Thompson, The Travel Brokers;...
• Hayley Price, Air New Zealand;... Hayley Price, Air New Zealand;...
• Julia Bozich, House of Travel;... Julia Bozich, House of Travel;...
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A soft adventure operator in Surfers Paradise says bookings starting to come in from New Zealand will be a real fillip for the Queensland tourism mecca.

Kate Forrester, who co-owns Gold Coast Watersports with husband Kyle Porter, says that though things started slowly, once the bubble opened, 10 bookings come through from New Zealandin one night for the family run business.

Forrester says that while many Kiwis who visit the area are catching up with friends and family they look for activities while they are there. The majority of bookings from New Zealand this week were for para sailing but jet skiing up
from the company’s site past Marina Mirage is also on many to do lists.

By Stu Freeman

Yesterday I was on Flight QF166 to the Gold Coast – Qantas’ inaugural between Auckland and Coolangatta and an early opportunity for me to experience travel in the trans Tasman bubble.

Auckland Airport yesterday (apart from a couple of slightly busier bursts during the day) was quiet to the point of being eerie – a boon for clients travelling just outside peak who want to get through the airport quickly with no hassle.

The Gold Coast is reminding Kiwis to visit in a new video that encourages families and mates to reunite.

Destination Gold Coast’s new video series rallies Kiwis to take in the scenic views, soak up the sun, pack their jandals (thongs) and a towel with a simple message to its friends from across the ditch: ‘New Zealand, we can’t wait to see you’.

By Aleisha Moore
A platform to connect travellers with locals for real, immersive experiences is gaining huge traction on the Gold Coast.

Destination Gold Coast is surging ahead with its New Zealand campaign off the back of an 11.5% increase in Kiwi travellers visiting the Australian hot spot in 2018.

Dreamworld on the Gold Coast reports an influx of New Zealand travellers these school holidays, as Kiwis are taking advantage of the great savings by booking through their local travel agents.

More than 202,000 Kiwis travelled to the Gold Coast in the 2017 calendar year and that number is predicted to rise as Virgin and Air New Zealand announce plans to add capacity. ‘We are feeling quite bullish about growth’, says Michael Thurston, Global Partnership Manager for Destination Gold Coast.