Do Winter Different
That’s the message behind ChristchurchNZ’s latest campaign for ExploreCHC, their long-term visitation brand for Canterbury and the West Coast.
Christchurch Is Just The Beginning
Do Winter Different
Sure you can ski here, you can even heli-ski, but the offering is so much broader. More than a traditional ski destination, Canterbury and the West Coast offer visitors the full gambit of winter activities and off-piste adventure, a truth highlighted in the Do Winter Different campaign.
The winter campaign builds off the successful launch of ExploreCHC in September 2020, positioning Canterbury and the West coast as an immensely desirable visitor destination. It was a key action in the city’s response to the economic and social impacts of Covid-19.
Loren Heaphy, ChristchurchNZ General Manager Destination and Attraction, said it was an exciting and important time to launch a visitation campaign.
Loren Heaphy - ChristchurchNZ General Manager Destination and AttractionŌtautahi Christchurch sits at the heart of a diverse region of destinations, including ski fields and accessible mountains, National Parks and character towns. ExploreCHC is about showcasing this offering, and what there is to do before and after a day on the slopes,”
“Ōtautahi Christchurch sits at the heart of a diverse region of destinations, including ski fields and accessible mountains, National Parks and character towns. ExploreCHC is about showcasing this offering, and what there is to do before and after a day on the slopes,” Heaphy said.
“The global pandemic has made the last year tough for our tourism operators, the whole sector has taken a huge hit. We’re excited to reintroduce our region to the domestic market, and help to boost winter visitor spending across Canterbury and the West Coast.”
ExploreCHC Do Winter Different was a partnership between RTOs in Mackenzie, Mid Canterbury, Selwyn, Hurunui, Kaikōura and the West Coast, as well as Christchurch International Airport.
It includes written and digital content distributed across multiple channels, and includes dozens of local businesses. Organic and sponsored content, and targeted advertising in the domestic and Australian market, will form a large part of the work.
The need for ExploreCHC
Covid-19 has inflicted significant economic damage on New Zealand and the South Island. The sectors and people most affected are tourism, SMEs, and vulnerable workforces.
Tourism is an integral part of Canterbury’s economy, providing $4.9 billion of $30 billion gross domestic product. The region has 8800 businesses in tourism-related industries, supporting 69,900 jobs. (Source: MarketView 2018).
ExploreCHC aims to help offset losses incurred by the tourism sector, and boost visitor spending across the South Island.
How to keep track of economic performance
ChristchurchNZ releases a monthly Economic Activity Index which benchmarks Canterbury’s economic activity against New Zealand.
This index provides regular insights on the performance of the economy between the release of the quarterly GDP figures.
ChristchurchNZ also tracks retail and growth trends across Otautahi Christchurch through MarketView data.
Both these reports allow decision makers to keep track and quickly respond to gaps and opportunities.
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