New Zealand’s tourism sector needs a boost. But the country’s latest ad campaign is getting attention for the wrong reasons.
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“Everyone must go!” the government of New Zealand’s latest tourism campaign reads. The roughly NZ$500,000 (US$286,000) campaign, launched on Sunday, is aimed at Australians, who make up 44 per cent of the country’s annual international tourists.
Australian tourism numbers to the island nation still haven’t recovered entirely after the pandemic, sitting at 88 per cent compared to 2019. And New Zealand’s economy weakened overall in 2024, falling into a recession with the highest unemployment rate in nearly four years in November.
“What this Tourism New Zealand campaign says to our Aussie mates is that we’re open for business, there are some great deals on, and we’d love to see you soon,” Tourism Minister Louise Upston said in a press release. “The campaign tagline of ‘Everyone must go’ lets Australia know that New Zealand is a ‘must visit’ destination, and that we’re ready and waiting to welcome them now.”
But locals see it differently. The timing of the campaign, which comes amid government job cuts and a large number of New Zealanders moving out of the country has many complaining that the slogan is tone deaf – and referential to bathroom activities.
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