New Zealand’s reputation continues to fly high

Prime Minister John Key 

Our islands are well known for the outstanding beauty of our scenery, our unique culture, and our fantastic food and wine. And not surprisingly, New Zealand continues to be named as one of the world's top tourism destinations.

But it's no secret that, for many of our visitors, getting here is a long haul. In fact that's part of what makes visiting New Zealand so special. So it's critical that we have world-class flight services bringing tourists to our shores.

Recently, Air Transport World magazine named Air New Zealand as their 2010 ‘Airline of the Year'. This is another sign that we offer world-leading experiences to our international visitors.

The award is a great honour. And, as those of us who regularly fly Air New Zealand know, it is well earned.

Having a highly-respected world-leading airline can only boost our tourism industry, which continues to see millions of people from around the globe come to New Zealand every year.

In December alone, more than 53,000 visitors arrived from Asia - including 13,000 from China/ 7000 from South Korea/ 6000 from India. And those who chose to fly on Air New Zealand enjoyed our famous Kiwi hospitality as they travelled to and from our country.

Like so many New Zealanders I am proud of our national airline. It is leading its field in ingenuity and commitment to a more environmentally-responsible future. And like so many other innovative businesses in our tourism sector, the services it provides make a big contribution to the 100% Pure New Zealand experience.

As Prime Minister, and Minister for Tourism, I know just how important our reputation as a high-quality destination is to tourism, our economy, and our future. It's great to see companies like Air New Zealand helping that reputation soar.