WellingtonNZ.com,
New Zealand 

Mr Tsai Kang Yung

One of Asia’s top entertainers is visiting Wellington to be the international guest judge for this year’s Montana World of WearableArt™ Awards Show (WOW).

Mr Tsai Kang Yung is Taiwan’s top television presenter and his TV shows and blogs are seen by millions of people in Mainland China and Taiwan each week.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said Tourism New Zealand was hosting Mr Tsai Kang Yung to help promote WOW and New Zealand as a tourism destination.

“Mr Tsai’s profile throughout greater China, plus his unique style and personality, made him an ideal choice to be the WOW international judge."

As a sponsor of WOW since 2001, Tourism New Zealand has helped build the profile of this premier art event internationally by hosting high-profile designers, students and media from key visitor markets. Positively Wellington Tourism helps the international media make the most of Wellington and brings domestic media to town with the support of Air New Zealand.

“There is nothing quite like the vibrancy and drama of WOW to capture the imagination of international media, high-profile fashion designers, fashion students and opinion leaders,” Mr Hickton said.

Four media from Hong Kong, Mainland China and Taiwan will accompany Mr Tsai to New Zealand to cover WOW and his travels around New Zealand and media coverage is estimated to reach around four million viewers.

Since 2001, Tourism New Zealand has hosted international media from 14 countries including the UK, US, Australia, China, Thailand, The Netherlands, India and Japan to see the event firsthand.

“That coverage has been seen by millions of people overseas and portrays New Zealand as a country that is more than just landscapes; it shows us as a vibrant nation with a sophisticated art scene and an entrepreneurial spirit. There is no other event quite like this on the planet, and the media love that,” Mr Hickton said.

“We are delighted that Mr Tsai will be in Wellington to see the show and to judge the Wellington International Award” says Suzie Moncrieff, Founder of WOW. “His love of fashion and creativity will be inspiring and we look forward to showcasing our unique event to him and to the media contingency that are accompanying him.”
This year there are entries from Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, India, the Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, the US, the UK, Canada and New Zealand. Entries will grace the stage of Wellington’s TSB Bank Arena from tomorrow. 

“It would be wonderful to see a contingency of garments from greater China adorn the 2010 stage as a result of the media exposure generated from Mr Tsai’s visit,” Ms Moncrieff added.

Mr Tsai has high expectations of the quality of the WOW entries. “I expect less of a boundary between arts and design with WOW – I am sure that the WOW entries will ‘wow’ me,” he says.

For further information contact:

Cas Carter, Tourism New Zealand on 021 915 410

Background

The Montana World of WearableArt™ Awards Show (WOW) runs in Wellington, New Zealand at the TSB Bank Arena from 24 September to 4 October. For more information visit worldofwearableart.com

Mr Tsai has hosted the Golden Horse Film Festival Awards Ceremony, which are regarded as the most prestigious awards for Chinese-language films outside mainland China.

His best known television programme is 'Kang Xi Lai Le’, the highest rating talk show in Taiwan. His humorous and frank interview style has made the show hugely popular with Chinese-speaking audiences across the world on satellite TV and the internet.

Mr Tsai’s blog on Sina.com, China’s main web portal, has accumulated more than 30 million page views since its launch, and he uses his blog to share his stories of life, work, and travels. Mr Tsai has also written several books about his life experiences, many of which are bestsellers in greater China.