BACKED by an extra NZ$30 million (US$25 million) annually over the next four years, Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) is stepping up its game in Asia, with a new interest in high net worth individuals and the MICE market.
Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily, Tourism New Zealand chief executive, Kevin Bowler, said the NTO is not cutting back on its leisure programme, but “branching out” from it, which will be supported by additional hires across the region.
“We have a very good high-end product with our luxury lodges, and increasingly very good activity providers offering everything from helicopter fishing and skiing to picnics on top of mountains,” he pointed out.
Conventions and incentives will be targeted by an expanded business events team that has grown from two to 14 people over the last few months (TTG Asia e-Daily, October 2, 2013).
Besides opening an office in Indonesia last month (TTG Asia e-Daily, October 30, 2013), TNZ has this year increased its investment in India, China and Japan. The latter, for example, has become a “70+ market”, said Bowler, with mostly senior travellers visiting New Zealand. The goal is thus to re-establish a foothold among youths by drawing attention to the destination’s “fun activities instead of just scenery”.
Film tourism also continues to be important for New Zealand, which will soon launch a PR campaign around the second Hobbit movie, premiering in December.
While TNZ is supporting more direct-to-consumer initiatives, Bowler said that travel agencies still play a vital role as New Zealand is “a touring, not flop and drop” destination.
The NTO is undertaking its first mega fam for the South and South-east Asian market next March, bringing 50 travel agencies to New Zealand, and has relaunched its online training programme earlier this year, which features new interactive modules (TTG Asia e-Daily, March 6, 2013) .
As the fastest-growing region for New Zealand, Asia contributed around 21 per cent of overall arrivals in 2012, up from 17.6 per cent in 2011. The UK, which used to be the second largest market after Australia, has been overtaken by China.
When asked how the country intended to compete with other countries that were also gunning for more Asian footfalls, Bowler said: “We attract a pretty small number of visitors, so we offer something different. Being less discovered is an advantage.”
