Ellerslie ticket sales top 15,000 in a month

1 October 2008

The first Christchurch-hosted Ellerslie International Flower Show is shaping up to be an outstanding success with 15,000 Christchurch residents/ratepayers buying tickets during the last month.

At 5pm last night, the number of tickets sold for the Show to Christchurch residents/ratepayers had topped 15,000 which Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says "is phenomenal".

"This is absolutely fantastic – it has far exceeded my expectations but certainly shows our community is as excited as I am about this event.

"Ellerslie is such an important event for Christchurch; not only will it allow us to reclaim and celebrate our heritage as New Zealand’s Garden City but it will also provide the platform to create a new international event for the city.

"Within five years, Christchurch aims to develop Ellerslie into one of the world’s top five garden shows."

Mr Parker says the special resident/ratepayer offer of $22 a ticket recognised that with the City Council buying Ellerslie last year the Show is now owned by the people of Christchurch. "We wanted to make it easy and affordable for as many of our residents as possible to attend next year’s event.

"The number of tickets sold certainly shows there are extremely high levels of interest and support for Ellerslie."

He says the excitement about Ellerslie is not just seen in ticket sales but also in the high number of horticultural exhibitions confirmed for the Show. "Very early in the planning, exhibition numbers had outstripped those for the last Show held in Auckland in 2007 and far exceed the number at this year’s Melbourne Flower Show.

"International interest in the Show continues to grow. Yesterday we had confirmation of yet another tour group from Australia attending Ellerslie and there is already strong interest from Japan, Canada, United States and England.

"Christchurch is certainly going to be the only place to be in March 2009."

Early Bird ticket prices – $28 a ticket – now apply for Ellerslie ticket sales. These prices rise to $35 from 15 February 2009.

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