Queenstown exposed to US viewers

Jason Mesnick's romantic exploits in Queenstown have been broadcast to millions in the United...
Jason Mesnick's romantic exploits in Queenstown have been broadcast to millions in the United States. Photo from Warner Bros Entertainment.
Queenstown's guest- starring role in the top-rated television show The Bachelor was watched by millions in the United States and increased the number of Americans visiting the resort's official website by 266.88% compared with the previous week.

Two of the final three episodes were filmed in New Zealand, including Queenstown and Northland, as part of Tourism New Zealand's International Media Programme.

The first Kiwi episode screened in the US to an audience of 12.5 million on February 16.

The Bachelor had three romantic dates in Queenstown, including a helicopter ride over Lake Wakatipu, bungy jumping at Kawarau bridge and sailing into the sunset on the vintage sailing ship Yvalda.

The second episode, also the season finale, aired last Tuesday and attracted 17.5 million viewers.

Destination Queenstown reported a 266.88% increase of US visits to www.queenstown-nz.co.nz - 157 visits on February 10, up one week later to 576 visits on February 17, the day after the show aired.

A total of 93% of the visits were new. Visits by Canadians also shot up by 221%.

American visits to the official Queenstown site were up 16% overall for the month of February compared with January.

Visits to Tourism New Zealand's website - www.newzealand.com/travel/usa - also increased, from 3458 to 7277 the day after the first Kiwi episode screened.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said money could not buy the kind of exposure The Bachelor had given the country.

"With a massive media industry, the US is a tough market to get our message across in, but the messages from Jason Mesnick have reached a huge audience in the US and beyond.

"The programme itself has helped create a buzz around New Zealand as a destination profiling our stunning landscapes and the experiences many US travellers would be unaware they could have here.

"Tourism New Zealand is expecting some big challenges in the US this year due to the economic situation, but we see it as an opportunity to come out in a stronger position than we went in. This kind of high-profile activity will help us achieve that."

Tourism New Zealand said it would launch a fresh take on its 100% Pure New Zealand advertising campaign in the US following the last episode of The Bachelor from March 9.

The Bachelor is ABC's third-highest ranking series among 18 to 34-year-old females, but is also popular with higher income earners in the 18 to 49 age-group.

This season of the series is its highest rating in three years, and best for total viewers in five years, reaching 12.5 million, with audience numbers up 30% on the previous series.

Jason Mesnick, the bachelor in search of romance in ABC's 13th series of the hit show, said New Zealand was the most beautiful place he had seen.

"The people were so kind and generous and that is a huge part of the entire experience. But the beauty of Queenstown is unmatchable anywhere."

 

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