Tourism sector set for deluge of rugby fans

Tourism New Zealand will strive to turn overseas rugby fans into "walking billboards" for New Zealand when they return home after the 2011 World Cup.

Tourism NZ spokeswoman Cas Carter said today's announcement that New Zealand had won the bid to host the World Cup was "fantastic news".

"One thing that this year's Lions tour showed was that the public and private sectors worked really well together to overcome all the challenges involved in hosting such a big event, and we got really good feedback," she said.

"New Zealanders are good hosts and Lions fans really appreciated the New Zealand personality."

The 2011 event will bring an estimated 60,000 overseas visitors to New Zealand, generating an extra $400 million in economic activity.

"They will be spending more than the average visitor as well, because they're not here for long and they're celebrating, Ms Carter said.

"Those who came here for the Lions tour really took advantage of the opportunities between games to explore the rest of the country, eating at our best restaurants, drinking the best New Zealand wine.

"In terms of economic activity, it's going to be huge."

She said tourism operators could not sit passively by and wait for the money to flood in.

"There will be a lot of marketing opportunities in the lead up to the World Cup and during it as well.

"Our aim is to turn overseas visitors into 'walking billboards' -- the best kind there is.

"We want them to go home and rave about what a good time they had in New Zealand."

- NZPA