An Auckland council agency is dismissing criticism of a 10-day trip to Dubai and Monaco by two of its executives.
Councillor Cameron Brewer has questioned the $57,000 trip by members of Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) in September this year.
The Marine Industry Association says it has been developing a strategy to double the number of super-yacht visits to Auckland, which can be worth up to $20 million each if major re-fits are done.
Chief executive Peter Busfeild says the agency's executives helped promote Auckland at the Monaco Boat Show, attended by many super-yacht captains and owners.
Mr Busfeild says with a decline in super-yacht building world-wide, New Zealand needs to attract boats for valuable refitting work.
ATEED chief executive Brett O'Reilly says the two-day stop in Dubai was to advance Auckland as a luxury tourist destination.
"We want Auckland to be a value-based destination, not just a volume-based destination, and the work that we're doing with players in Dubai is around fulfilling that objective."
Mr O'Reilly says the Monaco Boat Show work, in conjunction with the marine industry and other agencies, has already generated more than $10 million of business.
