News New Zealand's premier golf tournament would return to Queenstown - and in a revamped form - was yesterday described as a ''huge opportunity'' for the area to ''shine on the world stage''.
Wakatipu leaders yesterday expressed their pleasure at the development. The New Zealand Open will run from February 27 to March 2 next year at The Hills and Millbrook courses, alongside a separate simultaneous pro-am tournament.
The Government has injected $900,000 in funding and the tournament will be linked to the Japan Golf tour.
The new arrangement comes after agreement between NZ Golf, the NZ PGA and Michael Hill Tournaments Ltd (MHTL) to pool resources.
Destination Queenstown chief executive Graham Budd said the organisation ''wholeheartedly'' supported the move to make Queenstown the ''hub'' for the new format event and described it as a ''huge opportunity'' for the area to ''shine on the world stage''.
DQ had focused on promoting the resort as a world-class golf destination for several years and yesterday's announcement would boost that, particularly in Australia, Japan and other Asian markets.
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Vanessa van Uden said she was thrilled the open would be returning to the district.
Because the district council had just set up an events strategy, it could finally offer financial assistance.
Ms van Uden said the return of the open - NZ Golf had shifted it to Clearwater, Christchurch - was a credit to Sir Michael Hill and others for their determination.
''A lot of people could have just said, `They don't want us anymore,' and leave it at that, but he [Sir Michael] was committed to it.''
Arrowtown Promotions and Business Association chairman David Clarke said the news was ''great''.
''It's such a beautiful course for spectators - everyone was scratching their heads why it would ever move away from here.
''It has the whole package; players love it, spouses love it and all the people who come and watch it love it.
''It's great for domestic tourism and it will bring more and more international people.
''When you get those cameras swinging around and showing the whole landscape, what's that worth in terms of advertising dollars?''
MHTL chairman John Hart told the Otago Daily Times yesterday it was ''exciting news'' and ''very, very positive for the region''.
The 2013 NZ PGA Pro-Am, held in Queenstown, had injected about $5 million into the local economy. Mr Hart did not have comparative figures for the New Zealand Open, last held at The Hills in 2010.
