"My first visit to Queenstown in this job was during the 1999 flood. That was a very memorable visit. Since then, I have found great friendships here.
"Queenstown has a different attitude to tourism than many other New Zealand towns, as this is very much a tourist town. You understand the multi-seasonal tourism approach," Mr Hickton said.
He addressed representatives from the Queenstown tourism industry this week at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
The event was the first in a series of five regional tourism updates around the country.
Mr Hickton told tourism professionals while visitor numbers for the past year were down 1% on the previous year, the prediction had been for a fall of 1.8%.
Australia had registered a 2% decrease in visitor numbers over the past year.
He urged the industry to get better at internet marketing, and make it easier for travellers to make their arrangements online.
He also suggested what to focus on in the years to come.
"New Zealand has build a successful brand as `100% pure', and Queenstown has created its own very strong identity and brand. The challenge for the next 10 years will be to live up to those brands."
He encouraged the industry to adopt the greeting "Kia ora".
He said while some airlines and individuals used it, many were reluctant to do so.
"Get over it. We are a Pacific nation. This is something that sets us apart," he said.
Mr Hickton will step down from his role next Tuesday.
The new chief executive for Tourism New Zealand will be Kevin Bowler, who starts on January 18.
Regional manager Tim Hunter will take the role of acting chief executive in the meantime.
