World zooming in to look at us

By SIMON HENDERY

International yachting hysteria is rubbing off for New Zealand tourism, with the world's media showing an unexpected interest in this country's attractions.

Major newspapers and television networks, here to cover the Louis Vuitton Cup, have used their downtime to prepare travel items that will be seen or read by millions.

The Washington Post and Boston Globe newspapers have run features on New Zealand, and sports TV network ESPN aired a series of two-minute travel clips during its race coverage.

Yachting mania among the Italian media is also expected to boost interest in New Zealand across Europe.

"It's surpassed most people's expectations in terms of some of the big hits we've been able to get worldwide," said Jodie Pasgaard, director of the New Zealand Media Resource Unit.

The unit, set up by the Tourism Board and Tourism Auckland, has assisted more than 1300 overseas media organisations since it was established in November 1998.

Interest from Italy is expected to grow, with the country in a yachting frenzy after winning the right to challenge Team New Zealand for the America's Cup.

An estimated five million Italians were up at 4 am, local time, to watch the final challenger series race live. It was repeated during prime-time.

And Italy's largest-circulation newspaper, Corriere Della Sera, ran a double-page spread on Prada's victory.

Prime Minister Helen Clark hopes to capitalise on that interest by inviting the Italian Prime Minister, yachting fan Massimo D'Alema, to Auckland to watch the finals series.

New Zealand's trade commissioner in Milan, Charles Barkla, said there was such strong interest in the races that a New Zealand America's Cup centre would be set up in the city.

"This is translating into interest in tourism and investment," he said.

Jodie Pasgaard said having an American yacht in the finals would have meant more marketing exposure for the important US travel market, but European interest in New Zealand was valuable, too.

"Either way it's great for New Zealand and that's something we will have to continue to leverage."