Auckland Airport announces $100,000 grant

Auckland Airport has opened applications for its sixth annual Tourism Development Grants at the airport's International Travel Summit in Dunedin.

The $100,000 grant is open to New Zealand-based tourism operators and organisations with strategies to stimulate year-round visitation to New Zealand.

Every year, Auckland Airport brings together travel and tourism leaders from throughout New Zealand to participate in an International Travel Summit as an opportunity to contribute to a forum of topics that are of critical importance to the tourism sector.

In 2017 Auckland Airport awarded two grants of $50,000 to Eat NZ and Haka Tours.

This year, one grant of $100,000 will be awarded to support the development of a strategy that uses 'out of the ordinary' thinking to promote New Zealand as a year-round visitor destination.

"Six years into our Tourism Development Grants Programme, we are pleased with the success of our past recipients and how each year the industry continues to respond eagerly to these grants," says Auckland Airport commercial aeronautical general manager Scott Tasker.

"The ability of New Zealand operators to offer outstanding, year-round, country-wide travel experiences is key to the support, ongoing development and profitability of the New Zealand tourism industry, as well as the sustainability of airline operations that serve New Zealand.

"With tourism being New Zealand's top export earner, we're excited to support what is a growing, dynamic and important industry for our country," Tasker says.

"Encouraging travellers to explore more of New Zealand across the year brings economic benefits to communities around the country and we look forward to seeing what this year's applicants have to offer to keep the momentum and build on the industry's success.

Applications close at 5pm on 30 June 2018.

More information can be found on the New Zealand travel summit website.