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New Zealand’s Giant Rugby Ball Opens in Tokyo
Date: 28 October 2009
The Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key will formally open the New Zealand Rugby Ball Venue in Tokyo today.
The unique structure, sited next to the Tokyo Tower, will be open from 28 October to 3 November.
Today’s opening will unite Japanese and New Zealand cultures, with a formal Māori miki whakatau, or welcome, which will be responded to by a Shinto Priest carrying out a formal blessing.
"The Rugby World Cup is a huge opportunity for New Zealand tourism, and I am confident that many people who take the opportunity to experience this small taste of New Zealand in Tokyo will be inspired to experience the real thing in New Zealand in 2011," Mr Key said.
During the seven days the Ball is open, it will play host to a series of public and private events aimed at promoting New Zealand as a place to visit, work and do business with. It will also host functions which will showcase New Zealand cuisine.
Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton said the Ball had already proved its worth in Paris and London, gaining huge exposure for New Zealand as the next host of the Rugby World Cup in 2011.
During its last two outings in Paris and London 32,500 people have been inside the Ball to experience its tailor-made audio visual display promoting New Zealand. An estimated 300 million people around the world have seen media coverage of the Ball.
"The Ball has been a wonderful vehicle for promoting New Zealand so far and it remains an important element in New Zealand’s build up to the Rugby World Cup in just 741 days," Mr Hickton said.
"Arrivals from Japan have been declining for a number of years and we need high-profile public relations events like this to get noticed in what is a valuable market and prized market in New Zealand’s tourism mix," he added.
> Watch a time lapse video on YouTube (YouTube) of the Ball being inflated in Tokyo
> Watch a video of the opening ceremony in Tokyo (YouTube)
> Download images from Tokyo
For further information please contact:
Cas Carter, Corporate Communications,
Tourism New Zealand
Mob 021 915 410
Background
The Results So Far: Paris, France in 2007
• During the 15 days the Ball was open to the public in Paris next to the Eiffel Tower, the Ball achieved a potential world-wide media reach of over 137 million people. 25,000 went through the Ball and saw the show.
London, England in 2008
• During the 8 days the Ball stood in Potters Fields Park next to London Bridge, 7,500 people went inside the Ball and experienced the AV display.
• Over 200 million people from around the world had the opportunity to see the Ball on screens and in newspapers and magazines.
Read key facts about the giant Rugby Ball
Source: Tourism New Zealand Media Release
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