Ōtautahi Christchurch’s ability to attract and retain people, business and investment is dependent in part on how the city is perceived both within and outside of the city.
ChristchurchNZ has identified perception as an important area of work and in May began regular research into the perception of Ōtautahi Christchurch among our residents and other Kiwis.
The latest research, as at October 2019 shows:
- Ōtautahi Christchurch is perceived as progressive, exciting and cool, and these are largely underpinned by the rebuild activity. This is a view held mainly by our younger residents and out-of-towners.
- We are seen as a beautiful place, credited mainly to our natural landscapes and open spaces, as well as our historic and modern architecture.
- Almost a quarter of target non-residents (under 40) said they intended to visit Canterbury in the next 12 months. Of those, 80 per cent said they would visit the Christchurch city, with Hanmer Springs the next in line with 30 per cent.
- Christchurch residents are divided on being detractors and advocates of the city. Results suggest 33 per cent are unwilling to recommend Christchurch as a place to visit , while 38 per cent are willing to advocate for it. 30 per cent are passive towards the city.
- 20 per cent of under-40s migrants are very open to migrating to Christchurch, with one third of all potential migrants currently based in Auckland.
- Residents say a better commute and ease of getting around town would be a big driver for migrants to move to Christchurch.
> Read the full report here
These results will drive ChristchurchNZ’s communication and marketing priorities over the coming year and help to benchmark and evaluate their effectiveness.
