About Destination Queenstown

Our role

We work with local businesses, including tourism operators, the hospitality industry, accommodation providers, retailers, and service sectors to promote Queenstown as a unique destination that offers visitors truly memorable experiences - pure inspiration.

On an international level, we work closely with Tourism New Zealand and in our long haul markets we promote the wider Southern Lakes region alongside our neighbours Destination Fiordland and Lake Wanaka Tourism.

The role of our team is to provide the right assistance to the right people, be it frontline staff, corporate contacts, travel agents, media or DQ Members. Liaison with key markets, leveraging advertising investment, maintaining relationships, developing new contacts and providing updates on events, developments, new products and relevant news in our region is all part of the day’s work.

• We have a mandate to generically promote the Queenstown District as an international visitor destination through a variety of distribution channels and we act as the neutral co-ordinator of initiatives and campaigns that benefit our members.
• We have a core role in several areas including information provision, trade liaison and media promotion.
• We co-ordinate the collective marketing of Queenstown – identifying, prioritising and promoting the various visitor groups that we believe Queenstown can attract.
• We are responsible for the branding and positioning of Queenstown.

Our history

Queenstown’s journey to becoming an internationally acclaimed four season resort began with the support of Kiwis who used it as a popular summer holiday destination.  As better roads and facilities were developed the town became a picturesque overnight stop for coach tours and became a thriving winter ski resort when Coronet Peak opened in 1947. 

The region has always been a magnet for adventurers and entrepreneurs and these pioneers became the mainstay of Queenstown's adventure tourism industry.  World-first innovations such as commercial jet boating and bungy jumping have forged Queenstown’s enduring reputation as the ‘Adventure Capital of the World’. 

With its majestic beauty, unrivalled range of activities and attractions, superior accommodation choices, cosmopolitan shopping, award-winning food and wine, buzzing nightlife and friendly Southern hospitality, Queenstown has now been recognised as one of the world’s most desirable destinations.

As Queenstown's popularity has increased, so too has its accessibility.  Regular direct flights now run from major New Zealand centres and East Coast Australia, making it easier than ever before to visit.

A marketing body, now known as Destination Queenstown (DQ), was formed in 1985 to collectively promote Queenstown to the world.  The regional tourism organisation (RTO) is funded by commercial ratepayers via an annual levy collected by the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC).