“The activity supports Tourism New Zealand’s focus on encouraging visitation across shoulder and off-peak seasons to help grow the tourism sector’s productivity throughout the year,” says Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Rene de Monchy.

Australia was New Zealand’s largest visitor market in 2023, accounting for almost half of all international visitor arrivals (42.5%) and contributing $3.37 billion to New Zealand’s economy.

“While the Australian market continues to provide strong arrivals to New Zealand, we have seen the overall pool of Australians considering a holiday to New Zealand decline since COVID – likely due to competition from other destination and cost of living pressures.

“While the pool is showing signs of recovery, this is not guaranteed. We need to work even harder to capture the attention of potential visitors. This activity will help to drive that awareness in brand New Zealand and convert bookings during our winter season.

For aspiring Australian skiers, New Zealand is the perfect destination to hit the slopes, offering a broad and diverse range of ski and winter experiences just a three-hour flight away.

“The work showcases New Zealand as a place where Australians can enjoy all that the winter season has to offer – from exhilarating ski slopes, star gazing, warm geothermal spas, world class food and wine and unique cultural experiences,” said Mr de Monchy.

Australian surf lifesaver Anthony ‘Harries’ Carroll features in the content to showcase that a summer loving Australian bloke can have the trip of a lifetime in New Zealand’s winter season.

Harries said, "As soon as summer ends and the temperature starts to drop, it seriously impacts my vibe. I wasn’t convinced life outside of the Australian summer could be any good, but I was amazed at just how much there is to see and do in a New Zealand winter, and not just on the slopes.”

The activity will remain live until July, with the intent of driving visitation for the full New Zealand winter season.

Australian visitors are interested in adventure tourism, geothermal attractions, cultural experiences and food and wine. Find out more about the Australian market here(opens in new window).