Central Otago tourism leaders say a collaborative campaign highlighting the South’s diverse visitor experiences has proven its worth, with the initiative now a finalist in the 2025 New Zealand Tourism Awards.

Tourism Central Otago head of destination Anthony Longman said the ‘One Trip to See It All’ campaign broke new ground by encouraging visitors to fly into one southern airport and depart from another.

“The campaign was an industry first in terms of being an open-jaw airline product. If visitors are flying in one airport, and out another, it’s much more likely they’ll visit multiple regions, including Central Otago,” Anthony said.

In travel terms, an open-jaw ticket would allow a traveller to, for example, arrive from Auckland into Queenstown, travel overland through Central Otago, and then fly back to Auckland from Dunedin.

Anthony said teaming up with rental car companies to remove the “perceived barrier” of one-way hire fees had been another “key enabler” in attracting visitors to explore beyond a single stop.

“By promoting and educating visitors through inspiring multi-region itineraries we can guide visitors to and through our regions, highlighting the diversity and the proximity of an amazing variety of activities.”

The campaign was developed by Southern Way, a collective of eight Regional Tourism Organisations spanning the lower South Island, from Waitaki to Stewart Island, and including Wānaka, Clutha, Queenstown, Fiordland, Southland and Central Otago.

It ran in partnership with Air New Zealand and the Southern Airport Alliance (Dunedin, Queenstown and Invercargill airports) between July and August 2024.

Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods said being named a finalist in the Industry Collaboration category was “a testament to what can be achieved when regions unite under a shared purpose”.

“We’re proud to work together as a macro-region, amplifying our collective voice and showcasing the South’s extraordinary offerings. This nomination reflects the strength of our partnership and the bold direction we’re heading as a united lower South Island.”

Great South tourism and events general manager Mark Frood agreed the campaign showed the power of collaboration.

“The Southern Way is more than a campaign - it’s a movement that proves collaboration is our greatest asset. Together, we’re building a resilient, future-focused visitor economy that celebrates the richness of our landscapes, communities, and shared ambition.”

Anthony said aligning with neighbouring destinations was also a clear priority identified in Central Otago’s Destination Management Plan.

“We know visitors don’t see our regional boundaries, and by partnering with our neighbours on projects such as Southern Way we’re able to showcase Central Otago in ways that we could never do by ourselves.”

The winners of the New Zealand Tourism Awards will be announced at a gala dinner on October 29.

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