Music act visa change a boon for New Zealand tourism

New visa regulations will help attract more high-end music acts to New Zealand, offering great spin-offs for the tourism industry, says the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIANZ). 

From the end of November, high-end music acts and their support crew will be able to travel and perform in New Zealand on visitor visas rather than work visas so long as they are being promoted by a local company.

Welcoming the change, TIANZ Policy and Research Manager Simon Wallace stated “cutting the red tape will make it much easier and cheaper for the world’s top performers and their entourages to come to New Zealand."

Reducing barriers to travel is a key theme in the Tourism 2025 growth framework, which aims to double annual tourism revenue to $41 billion over the next decade.

Wallace adds “it makes New Zealand a much more attractive destination for these big-name acts, which is great news for Kiwi music lovers and for accommodation providers, restaurants, bars, retailers and other attractions which benefit from the business that big concerts generate.”

TIANZ Hotel Sector Manager Sally Attfield says that because music events can be held in the shoulder and off-seasons, they can create demand for accommodation and other services at what is typically a quieter time of the year for tourism businesses.

Attfield concludes “TIANZ advocated hard for this change, particularly on behalf of our hotel members. 

"This is an excellent result and shows the economic benefit of tourism and Immigration New Zealand working closely together.”

26th March 2014 - TOURISM AIMS TO DOUBLE ITS CONTRIBUTION TO NEW ZEALAND’S ECONOMY