Invite your friends, relatives to NZ: Key

PM John Key has launched a campaign to get Kiwis to convince overseas friends and relatives to visit New Zealand. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Prime Minister John Key wants all New Zealanders to invite their overseas relatives and friends to visit here.

He launched a campaign today – the "Great Kiwi Invite" – aimed at boosting tourism by offering personalised invites to come to New Zealand.

New Zealanders will be able to go online to www.thegreatkiwiinvite.co.nz and send a personal animated invitation to someone overseas.

The aim of the campaign, by Tourism New Zealand, is to increase the number of visitors to the country in the midst of the global recession when fewer people are travelling the world.

It comes as the number of overseas visitors keeps falling.

According to the latest figures the number of overseas visitors arriving for short term stays fell 5 per cent in June from a month earlier, with visitor numbers from Japan falling to a 24-year low.

There was a slight bounce in May.

Statistics New Zealand said 135,200 short term overseas visitors arrived in this country in June, down 7300 from a year earlier.

Mr Key, the Minister of Tourism, said: Whether it's friends, family or people we've met during our travels, I want to encourage Kiwis to make contact with those people through the new campaign and invite them to visit New Zealand."

Anyone who accepts the invitation goes into a draw to be flown to New Zealand by Air New Zealand.

"Kiwis can play a part in getting people to visit New Zealand, boosting tourism numbers and providing positive spin-offs for everything from hotels and attractions to cafes and taxis." Said Mr Key.

- NZ HERALD STAFF