A timeline across across four decades
Founded to promote Queenstown as a visitor destination laying the groundwork for what is today known as Destination Queenstown.
Queenstown Promotion Bureau officially registered as an incorporated society.
Businesses within a 25km radius of the Queenstown Post Office granted 24 hours shopping throughout the year.
Winter Festival evolves as major event, drawing domestic and international visitors and positioning Queenstown as a year-round destination.
Rate based funding structure is introduced and sets the enviable standard nationally for RTO funding models.
The first commercial sponsorship from DB Breweries and New Zealand Breweries, marked the transition from a purely community-driven event to a commercially supported festival. Image: Lakes Weekly Bulletin.
QPB wins Tourism New Zealand's Regional Tourism Award and is the first Regional Tourism Organisation to work in conjunction with Tourism New Zealand on its International Media Programme.
Air NZ flight arrives from Sydney with 80 passengers on 1 July 1995. The following day, a flight arrived from Brisbane with 70 passengers. Image: Queenstown Airport Corporation.
A logo rebrand in 1995 to include a visual representation of Queenstown's unique alpine landscape.
The bureau was established to package and promote business travel during off peak periods.
Torrential rain triggered severe flooding across Queenstown and surrounding areas, damaging infrastructure and disrupting tourism before the height of the visitor season. Image: Lakes District Museum Collection.
A look at the first QueenstownNZ website homepage in 2000.
First time the major international tourism trade event was held in the Southern Lakes region, attracting over 600 attendees to showcase the area to international travel buyers and media.
A look at the QueenstownNZ website homepage in 2018.
Businesses were forced to close their doors with a nationwide lockdown in March 2020.
The plan, Travel to a Thriving Future, also known as the regenerative tourism strategy, paves the way with 23 transformative projects and the keystone project of a carbon-zero visitor economy by 2030.
The partnership leverages shared resources across two organisations and district wide visitor strategy.
