Prime Minister Christoper Luxon and Tourism Minister Louise Upston launched the $500,000 'Everyone Must Go' campaign on Sunday, which will hit Australian airwaves and social for about a month, starting this week.
But critics like Labour Party tourism spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel said the new slogan sounded like a clearance sale.
Tourism New Zealand chief executive René de Monchy said it was designed to promote urgency for Australians - our only short-haul market - to visit.
One RNZ listener hinted at an ulterior motive.
"Surely 'Everyone Must Go' is a subtle dig at the Australian government's intransigence concerning 501 deportees", Micheal asked.
Another listener expressed concern at the cost - and quality - of the campaign slogan.
"Can't believe that slogan cost half a mill. Is that the best our tourism can offer?"
That critic did offer an alternative, suggesting flipping a classic of Australia's tourism industry.
"There's more besides the snow, mate, so.... where the bloody hell are YOU?"
Hilda suggested there was no need to lure people over, because there would be thousands of Aussies visiting New Zealand with or without a marketing blitz - "the families of the Kiwis that used to live here".
Another suggested a more direct comparison was appropriate: "No crocs, no snakes, no killer spiders, no cane toads, no 50C heat, no red dirt - see you soon."
While another raised concerns of some of the country's most popular tourism spots, and their infrastructure woes.
"Everybody's got to go is exactly the problem, as Queenstown's sewerage system struggles to cope."
Listener Madeline underscored the point, and asked if encouraging mass tourism would only exacerbate existing issues of over-tourism and environmental degradation.
"Flooding New Zealand with tourists is not the answer to this country's woes. It wrecks the country and communities, drives up prices for locals and [brings] us an environmental disaster. This flailing government is grasping at polluting straws."
Professor defends slogan
Professor of Marketing Analytics at Massey University, Dr Bodo Lang, told Morning Report it is a good slogan.
"I think short is good, and something that has a call to action is a good thing," he said.
"I like that there's a sense of urgency."
However, Lang said it did sound a bit like a command, and like there was a sale on.
"That's the last thing we want. We want high value tourism, not low value tourism."
While he said $500,000 may seem like a lot of money, it would be worth it to target the more than 25 million people in Australia.
"If we could convince 10 percent to come over, they all spend $2,000 here, that's $5 billion."
Lang added that reminder advertising was important.
"Obviously, Australians know where New Zealand is, and they know broadly what it has to offer, but they may not quite realise how varied the country is," he said.
"I think New Zealand's unbelievably diverse, and its flora and fauna and landscapes, and it's such a small country and has such diversity.
"So, to me, I think that type of campaign can really pay off.
"I definitely think we can certainly get a payback from half a million dollars.
"It does sound like a lot of money, but actually it's not."
