NZ raises RWC 2011 visitor expectations

Offshore ticket sales indicate that New Zealand will welcome 95,000 international visitors - a rise of 10,000 from earlier predictions - for Rugby World Cup 2011, according to the Tournament organisers.

With only four weeks to go until the rugby tournament kicks off on Friday, 9 September, sales have surged significantly over the past week.

And, while there are still more than 230,000 tickets up for sale, nearly 300,000 tickets - worth NZ$65m - have been sold during the last 10 weeks.

RNZ 2011 chief executive Martin Snedden expects to see an increasing sales momentum as the weeks count down.

International visitors
Expected international visitor numbers have now exceeded previous estimates - put at 85,000 a year ago.

"This is tremendous news and a real sign of just how big Rugby World Cup 2011 will be for our country," said Martin Snedden.

The upsurge in support from overseas fans was a strong sign of confidence in New Zealand’s ability to host the biggest sporting event ever held here, he said.

Offshore ticket purchasers
The latest analysis of RNZ 2011 ticket sales data shows visitors for the six-week Tournament are coming from more than 100 countries.

Some 30,000 fans are expected from across the Tasman, while expected visitor numbers are also strong from traditional rugby markets such as the UK, France and Ireland.

"We are expecting around 25,000 fans from the UK and Ireland and another 10,000 from France," Martin Snedden said.

It was also "terrific to see good numbers" - an estimated 10,000 - coming from the USA, Canada and Argentina, Snedden said.

Previous analysis has suggested that 44% of visitors would be first-time visitors to New Zealand, who would stay an average of 23 days and travel extensively around the country.

One million tickets
RNZ 2011 also reported that ticket sales had climbed to 1.08 million, putting the Tournament well on track to achieve its sales targets. Revenue to date totals NZ$234 million, against a target of NZ$268.5m.

"This also means we have achieved nearly 10 times the revenue of the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour, the previous largest ticketing programme in this country," said Snedden.
Since 4 July, when the final ticketing phase launched, fans had snapped up more than 180,000 tickets - the equal of three sold-out Eden Parks, he said.

The goal now was to sell the rest of the 230,000 tickets, Snedden said.

"The first teams arrive in just a few weeks, 10,000 street banners will shortly go up around the country, and that will all help to continue building interest and excitement.

"Our message to fans is, get in now as many matches will sell out. Time is really running out. While tickets are available to most matches, there is limited availability in many categories."

IRB confident
IRB and Rugby World Cup Ltd chairman Bernard Lapasset said the stage was now set for New Zealand to shine, and he was confident the tournament would be "a resounding success".

"The anticipation is palpable and as we count down to the opening match at Eden Park on September 9, I have no doubt that fans attending RWC 2011 will have an exceptional experience."