The Dunedin City Council will attend the annual Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand (TRENZ) trade show for the first time next month - promoting the Dunedin Chinese garden to international buyers.
‘‘The Chinese garden is a unique attraction for New Zealand and a unique attraction to Dunedin. It is a place people will want to visit as part of their itinerary,'' DCC marketing communication agency manager Debra Simes said.
Previously, the DCC had left marketing of the city to Tourism Dunedin and individual operators, but with the Chinese garden due to open in June, it was an important for the city to be represented, she said.
‘‘Tourism Dunedin promotes Dunedin as a destination and the individual operators, like us with the Chinese garden, promote their own tourist attractions.''
Dunedin Chinese Garden manager Siew Gek Sim and Dunedin Visitor Centre team leader Louise van de Vlierd will run the DCC booth at the Rotorua-based trade show which will cost the counci $8000.
Requests for appointments have been made to buyers from Australia, United Kingdom United States, central Europe and Asia, and ‘‘we expect to see an increase in visitor nights as a result of this show''.
The focus for selling the Chin ese garden to tour operators would be the $20 guided tours but booth operators would also promote the city's other attractions, such as the Botanic Garden, she said.
At the booth, buyers will be able to watch a DVD on Dunedin and receive information on other tourist activities.
More than 320 buyer delegates will be represented at the four day show, which begins on May 26.
