PLAY NZ - Tourism New Zealand

In 2020 as travel plummeted, online gaming increased by over 70%.

Tourism New Zealand decided to market the entire country like a game, inviting the world to PlayNZ.
A world-first interactive tourism experience, Play NZ showcased the country in a completely new way, keeping New Zealand top of mind for future travellers.

We launched with a live stream on Twitch, featuring the first ever ‘gamer walkthrough’ of a country.
During the live stream, Australian gaming heavyweight, Loserfruit, led thousands of followers on an hour-long journey that showcased the best bits of New Zealand. She “played” the country and interacted live with followers.

As well as using a prominent gaming influencer, we created teasers and trailer films, digital banners and in-app ads mimicking a real gaming launch.

We gave people the opportunity to dive deeper at every touchpoint, driving future travellers to the PLAY NZ immersive hub where they were met with 18x VR180° and 360° quest films, downloadables and characters from the film.

Gamers couldn’t get enough, with many asking when PLAY NZ would launch for real.
But most importantly, Intent to visit New Zealand post lockdown has increased +387%* and we maintained our #1 position as the preferred destination for Aussie travellers**.