Auckland in limelight for Rugby World Cup 2011

Tourism Auckland is thrilled that Auckland has secured the opening ceremony and match for Rugby World Cup 2011.

Following today’s announcement of the match schedule by Rugby New Zealand 2011, the Auckland region will get set to host the opening game, seven other pool matches, the bronze final, semi-finals and final.

Tourism Auckland chief executive, Graeme Osborne, says the Auckland region will reap significant tourism benefits from being the hub of Rugby World Cup.

“Having the opening here is the perfect opportunity for Auckland to turn on a great show for visitors, and also showcase our magnificent city to millions of television viewers across the globe,” says Osborne.

More than 60,000 international visitors are expected to come to New Zealand for the tournament, with the majority of them to make a stop in Auckland.

The tournament has the potential to generate up to $315 million* of additional expenditure in the Auckland region.

With the match schedule confirmed Tourism Auckland predicts that there will be a surge in off-shore interest, as supporters get an understanding of the match venues and when their teams will play.

“Knowing the number and timing of games in Auckland will help to determine how long fans are likely to stay in the region. This will help us model visitor flows during the tournament and enable Auckland tourism operators to plan accordingly,” says Osborne.

Tourism Auckland is one of many key organisations in Auckland working collaboratively to prepare for Rugby World Cup 2011. These include Auckland councils, AucklandPlus, the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, major stadia and the three Auckland-based rugby unions.