INSIDE TOURISM – EXPORT MATTERS
Its time to stop apologising for the value of the NZ dollar and what it use to buy. For much of yester year visitors to New Zealand have had great value and experienced the best we have to offer. Times and the dollar have changed so we now need to turn our single most negative barrier for visiting New Zealand into a positive one.
When kiwis travel overseas we know in advance that the NZ$dollar doesn’t (or didn’t) go very far in most countries. We know that in Asia, visiting Japan is more expensive than China, and in Europe, Germany is more expensive than Greece. The value of the dollar of whichever country we visit is not the primary motivator for travel and we accept that it will take longer and cost more. We choose the destination for a variety of reasons and if our expectations are met or exceeded, we don’t mind what we paid as long as we are happy with the value received.
Too often I hear ourselves justifying to customers our dollar. We literally apologise for the cost of the airfare, our food, wine and travel to and within New Zealand. It’s time we re-worked the marketing magic and perception from our dollar doesn’t go as far as it use to, to one of yes, it costs abit more to get here, yes it takes a little longer and YES it is totally going to be worth it!
For the past 100 years we have been a ‘cheap as chips’ premier destination which itself is a contradiction in terms. New Zealand is positioning itself as the ‘premier destination’ of the world, attracting high net worth luxury and business travellers. We aren’t trying to attract 15 million international visitors who may complain of cost. We are trying to attract visitors who respect the quality of the destination and the commitment to our culture and environment.
As kiwis have adjusted over the years to pay more to travel long haul, so too can visitors that choose to come to New Zealand but all have to be on the same marketing perception page. It’s time to stop apologising for circumstances beyond our control and promote our world class product and experiences in association with the value visitors will receive. Our airlines, airports, technology and produce consistently are judged by world standards and we are winners!
The biggest challenge is not convincing visitors to come but to deliver on their expectation. Let’s make sure the message sent by all tourism trade and other export sectors is one of quality – if quality is the message, value will look after itself.
The project was for the achievement “To become the first Museum in the World to obtain CarboNZero Certification”. – A world-leading sustainable museum operation.
The Award was for Innovation/technology/Sustainability; for an outstanding innovative project that contributes to best practice in the Museum Sector in New Zealand.
Hi folks! I’d lke to introduce myself – My name is Siobhan Lambert and I’m the new National Sales Coordinator for Rydges NZ. I moved up from Rotorua 2 months ago, having spent 18 months with Rydges Rotorua, first as a Reservaionist and then as their Corporate Cadet. The Cadetship was a year long fast track Trainee Management Program which took me into every department within in the hotel to learn from scratch and then work my way up to supervisory and then Managerial level. This was a lot of fun but very hard work. Thankfully the hard work paid off and I was lucky enough to be noticed on a national level. The week my Cadetship ended I went straight into this role and haven’t looked back! Although this is all quite new for me & there is a huge amount to learn, I can sincerely say I love my job and have thoroughly enjoyed meeting and working with my new team, both within Rydges and within the Tourism Industry itself.
Fullers360 Experiences & Cruises unifies the Hauraki Gulf, connecting friends and whanau and unlocking treasured New Zealand destinations. Fullers360 offers a range of tourism experiences including eco-adventures on the volcanic Rangitoto Island and the wildlife sanctuaries of Tiritiri Matangi Island and Rotoroa Island. Ferries sail to Devonport’s historic seaside village and connect with our winery tours and extensive bus network on Waiheke Island. Fullers360 is owned by Fullers Group Ltd., the leading ferry & Cruise provider in Auckland for over 35 years.
Registrations are now available for the networking event of the year! This year the Conference is hosted by Destination Wairarapa, Masterton at the Copthorne Solway Hotel from 20-23 August 2013. Click here to see the registration forms and Conference programme 2013
Tuhura are smartphone/tablet/iPad Apps that enable travellers throughout New Zealand to connect with local people telling local stories.
Tuhura is for the traveller who wants to discover the background, legends and local stories behind the places they visit. Wi-Fi enabled, Tuhura uses short film clips (about 90 secs) to tell the stories of New Zealand-Aotearoa’s history and culture. The six hours (over 500 film clips) of deep travel video content is being added to weekly and can be selected by GPS location, NZ map or date.
Auckland, Northland, Rotorua, Waitomo Caves, Wellington, Nelson/Tasman, Marlborough, Otago/Queenstown, Otago Central Rail-Trail – all have extensive coverage. Other locations are being added regularly. Chinese, Japanese and Korean versions will be available by mid-2013 in their respective language app stores.
Price to download: Tuhura lite (free version); Regions $NZ2.59; National $NZ4.19.
Founded in 2010, LNZ International Travel Service is located in Auckland, New Zealand. The company is endorsed by Qualmark New Zealand as an Inbound Tour Operator and also is an approved ADS Inbound Tour Operator. We arrange a variety of inbound tours travelling around New Zealand and outbound group visits to Australia and the Pacific Islands. We also design and organise personalised travel packages including honeymoons, fishing, hunting, golf and diving, as well as business and property investigation.
INSIDE TOURISM – EXPORT MATTERS Visiting members over the summer I’m pleased to report that for the most, operators are having a better season than expected. The weather has been the obvious ‘star’ but following closely on the rising moon is the number of FIT Chinese visitors getting out and about to the regions of New Zealand. Tourism New Zealand and inbound operators have been advising industry to start preparing for the new Chinese visitor and that they may not be who you think they are.
What is the general perception of our Chinese visitor? It is a group package visitor who stays in New Zealand 3 nights and predominantly visits Auckland and Rotorua. How could they possibly appreciate New Zealand in only 3 days you might ask? Well the reality is, New Zealand is not their holiday destination, only their stopover on the way back to China after visiting Australia. It’s similar to kiwis going to Europe and saying they have been to France when they only stayed in Paris for 3 nights. Hopefully, that ‘taste’ is enough to encourage them back again, and often it is.
The above mentioned visitors in the industry are known as the ADS Dual Destination Shopping Tour groups which up until the last few years were 75% of our Chinese visitors. ADS stands for “approved destination status” which is an agreement between the Chinese and New Zealand governments (1999) which lets’ holiday travellers visit a country in a tour group. In recent years NZ Chinese inbound tour operators have been working with Tourism New Zealand and trade to encourage more ‘mono’ (NZ only) destination tours and the percentage of FIT visitors coming to New Zealand on FIT/ADS and non ADS visas, is increasing. This is to the benefit of the industry as they generally stay longer and spend more. At December 2012, this percent had dropped to 65% and with the new PKP (preferred kiwi partnership) programme being initiated by Tourism New Zealand, we look forward to more independent Chinese visitors travelling further to the regions.
The new visitor is likely to well educated, younger and keen to self drive. Operators should be taking steps now to improve the satisfaction levels of these discerning consumers with translations and signage even though they are likely to be able to speak English. They are more interested in “feeling” the product and getting up close to nature and adventure activities. They are experienced travellers having already visited Asia, North America and Europe and big users of technology and social media.
Discussions between the private sector and government agencies demonstrate a common goal of delivering a world class experience to our valued Chinese visitors. If private sector operators deliver the experience on the ground by learning more about their culture, language and protocols and government assists behind the scenes minimising barriers to travel, then together we are well on the way to exceeding the Chinese visitor travel experience and expectations.
Experience Tekapo Springs for the perfect mix of relaxation and recreation in beautiful Lake Tekapo in the heart of the South Island! Soak up the amazing views from the three hot pools or chill out in the cooler pools with Aqua Play Area. Detox in the steam and sauna rooms or enjoy a massage or facial at the day spa. Ice skate on the outdoor rink, experience the thrill of a 150-metre snow tube then refuel at the Altitude 720 Café & Bar. By night, join a tour of Tekapo Star Gazing; learn about the incredible dark sky reserve with high-powered telescopes then slip into a 38°C hot pool and soak in the stars! Open 364 days per year.
Soar through the trees and experience New Zealand’s ancient forest like never before – in an award-winning zipline adventure. Journey in small intimate groups with authentic Kiwi guides through this beautiful land the way it once was, in a unique eco-tour experience that puts you at the heart of the forest restoration story. With a portion of each ticket invested in conservation, this number one ranked outdoor experience in New Zealand (Trip Advisor) is an adventure activity with brain and heart.
Get below the surface, above the trees, learn about the past and become part of the future.
