The national airline has always had a close partnership with NZW, as major sponsor of the annual wine awards. But this new MoU takes that partnership a mammoth step further.
The signing by Christopher Luxon, CEO Air NZ and Philip Gregan, CEO NZ Winegrowers on May 19, will ensure a merging of the two organisations’ international activities.
NZW Global Marketing director Chris Yorke says there are a number of key objectives, which will come into effect immediately. They include;
• Increasing the promotion of New Zealand as a destination for wine tourism
• Deepening New Zealand’s image for premium and sustainable wines
• And leveraging the Air New Zealand Wine Awards in offshore markets
Work on the MoU has been ongoing for a number of months with a number of “areas of cooperation” agreed upon. Yorke says NZW will work with Air New Zealand on PR activity, including investigating opportunities for jointly hosting international media visits here, or including vineyard visits into current familiarization trips to New Zealand.
“We are also looking at consumer events to promote wine tourism to New Zealand, including joint participation in NZW Wine Fairs held in offshore markets,” Yorke said.
In store wine promotions overseas will provide the perfect opportunity to promote New Zealand as a wine destination, while Air New Zealand will also promote wine tourism on their website.
“We now have the NZW and Air NZ teams overseas working closely together to create a joint plan for the coming year,” said Yorke.
A number of key markets will be targeted in the next few months following the signing of the MoU. In China, Air NZ will participate at the NZW Wine Fair, and will also sponsor WINE 100 in China next month. In the US, Air NZ will be a participant at the NZW Wine Fair in New York and San Francisco, while cooperative promotion between the two organisations will occur at the Whole Foods later in the year. They will also participate in the Wine Fairs in Calgary, Ottawa and Toronto, Canada.
With Wine Tourism one of the focuses of Tourism New Zealand, the MoU couldn’t have come at a better time for both organisations.
“This is a major achievement for both NZWinegrowers and Air New Zealand,” Yorke said. “We are not only working with one of the most respected airlines in the world, but we are ensuring that New Zealand wine gets the international recognition it deserves.” ν
