Search Results forTourism New Zealand
Tourism New Zealand brings its country into Minecraft
Tourism New Zealand teamed up with Warner Brothers Pictures and Mojang Studios to enable gamers to “play” New Zealand in Minecraft. The collaboration led to the creation of a world-first destination downloadable content (DLC) celebrating the upcoming release of A Minecraft Movie. Tourism New Zealand CEO René de Monchy said: “This innovative approach to destination marketing offers millions of Minecraft fans the unique opportunity to virtually explore and create within a range of iconic New Zealand locations.” Torfi Frans Ólafsson, senior creative director of original content and entertainment at Minecraft and one of the film’s producers, shared his enthusiasm on the collaboration. He declared: “Shooting A Minecraft Movie in New Zealand was an amazing experience. The talent and boundless creativity of the highly talented local crews embodies the values we at Minecraft hold so dear: positivity, creativity and curiosity. For those of us not local, whenever we were not holed up on the sound stages at the studio, we used every opportunity we could to explore the magnificent beauty of New Zealand. When principal photography wrapped, we were sad to leave with so much yet unexplored, but me, like many others on the production, were already planning our holidays to return to New Zealand as proper tourists.” A unique approach to tourism promotion With more than 300 million copies sold globally, Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time and offers a unique way of promoting New Zealand as a destination on and offline. Likewise, the collaboration casts the spotlight on New Zealand’s strong film production, game development, and Indigenous creative industries - areas that offer unique appeal for the business events sector. According to de Monchy: “The project creatively combines technology, gaming, culture, New Zealand’s otherworldly places, Māori culture, and people to present New Zealand to the vast Minecraft universe in an innovative way.” Tourism New Zealand worked with Piki Studios, an official Minecraft Partner and award-winning Māori game design studio, to build the DLC. Chief business operator Whetu Paitai led the development, working with Tourism New Zealand, the wider tourism industry and mana whenua (local Māori) from the regions depicted to create an authentic and fun experience. Paitai said: “Working with Mojang on such an iconic game has been an incredible experience, filled with both excitement and responsibility. Developing the first ever Minecraft game for a destination, especially a place as close to my heart as New Zealand, feels immensely rewarding.” He added that doing this also came with its own set of unique challenges, one of which was ensuring that the rich Whāraki (interconnected tapestry of stories, traditions, and cultural heritage) of the land and its people was accurately and respectfully represented. We have been able to work with Mojang in a way that is very collaborative and respectful. Paitai said: “Māori game development is growing, but our whanau (people) have to see models of that happening in front of them and this is what projects like this achieve.”
Tourism New Zealand sees significant potential of India as source market
As it gears up for Kiwi Link India in July of this year, Tourism New Zealand cited the potential of the South Asian nation as a significant source market. It was noted during the preparation stage that 75 percent of people in India who are actively considering visiting New Zealand said they would travel to the country during the off-season, between March and November. This is the third highest consideration of off-peak travel for all of New Zealand’s international markets. Tourism New Zealand’s general manager for the international market Angela Blair said: “India is an incredibly important source market for New Zealand tourism and represents a significant opportunity for future international arrivals growth, particularly in the off-peak.” Blair added that, to support Tourism New Zealand’s year-round and off-peak strategy, the agency aims to grow year-round arrivals from India, with a focus on festive and holiday breaks including Diwali in October and November, and the Indian summer break between April and June. She said: “Many holiday visitors from India book through a travel agent so it’s important we meet with the travel trade sector in India to grow relationships and ultimately book more holidays to New Zealand. We will also be launching more activities throughout the year to help potential Indian visitors fall in love with New Zealand’s landscapes and people.” Key insights to consider As of press time, more than 14 million people in India are actively considering a visit to New Zealand. Indeed, 64 percent of those surveyed have New Zealand at the top of their bucket list. Just last November, total arrivals from India were at 129 percent compared to pre-Covid, and holiday arrivals had also fully recovered to 109 percent of pre-pandemic numbers. It must also be noted that Indian holiday visitors spend an average of $5,927 per trip, compared to average spend by all holiday visitors of $5,171. Also, Indian tourists are most interested in New Zealand’s stunning landscapes, adventure activities, unique cultural experiences, and warm and friendly people.
Tourism New Zealand rewards Indian trade partners with special destination experience
Tourism New Zealand recently concluded its first global trade incentive campaign which was a part of the global launch of their latest 100% Pure New Zealand global campaign, IF YOU SEEK. As part of a concerted effort to support tourism recovery in New Zealand, the organisation has been actively increasing its trade initiatives across markets. The first-of-its-kind incentive campaign was launched to encourage trade partners to seek more and enhance their destination knowledge of New Zealand. To qualify, participating travel sellers were required to participate in activities and utilise the marketing resources in-market for a chance to join a trade familiarisation trip to New Zealand. Travel sellers from India, Australia, Germany, Japan, North America, Singapore, South Korea, and the UK joined the recently completed IF YOU SEEK trade familiarisation trip. Between 17-22 April 2023, they participated in unique experiences through sensory, seeker-themed activities handpicked in conjunction with the campaign. Shalini Kalian from NCS Travels and Tours Pvt Ltd and Harneet Singh Sawhney from Born 2 Holiday LLP were the winners from India who got the opportunity to visit New Zealand. They visited the North Island (Waiheke Island, Waikato, Rotorua and Northland) and enjoyed these experiences during the trip: Waiheke Island: Pōwhiri (Māori welcome ceremony) at Piritahi Marae, followed by a bespoke tour of the island led by Ananda Tours and a visit to Batch Winery Maungatautari (Sanctuary Mountain): private guided tour of the conservation reserve where they learnt about efforts to re-introduce and breed endangered species through the installation of the world's largest pest-proof fence Hobbiton Movie Set Tours: an enchanting, guided tour through the world-renowned picturesque pastures of the Shire of Hobbiton, the iconic movie set featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies. Redwoods Treewalk: Redwoods Nightlights – a magical tour through Rotorua's redwood forest under the stars and featuring 34 lanterns by renowned designer David Trubridge Hell's Gate Geothermal Reserve and Mud Spa: The Hell's Gate Experience – a three-in-one experience featuring an interactive geothermal walk, mud baths and sulphur spas Carino Wildlife Cruises: a sightseeing and dolphin-watching sail through the Bay of Islands Canopy Tours in Rotorua: an exciting zipline activity exploring the magnificent canopies and ancient forests of New Zealand Top Trail Cycle Hire and Tours: an adventure-packed cycling adventure along the breath-taking Twin Coast Cycle trail, spanning from Opua in the stunning Bay of Islands all the way to Horeke in the majestic Hokianga The Stone Store and Kemp House: a visit to one of New Zealand's oldest historical sites that holds the stories of the encounter between Māori and European missionaries Waitangi Treaty Grounds: a guided tour around New Zealand's most important historic site combined with a Māori cultural experienceand a look at the world's largest ceremonial waka "Our trade partners are some of our most valuable advocates when it comes to driving in-market presence and preference for New Zealand. Destination knowledge is crucial to what they do, and we hope this experience in New Zealand has left them with a deeper appreciation and understanding that will be translated in how they position New Zealand to their customers in the market." shared Gregg Wafelbakker, General Manager, Asia, Tourism New Zealand. Aaron Gilden, Head of Sales, South & Southeast Asia, UK & Europe, Air New Zealand, echoed sentiments, adding, "We hope the experience will help our trade partners generate more meaningful conversations and interest around New Zealand. As the airline partner, this campaign opened opportunities for us to better engage with our partners and in turn, strengthen our show of what Air New Zealand has to offer." Here is what the Indian winners had to say: “It was a wonderful experience exploring the North Island! I was completely intrigued by the Māori culture - the history and language. We got to try numerous Kiwi delicacies and explored multiple locations. We also got to build connections with the local suppliers who provided us with immense knowledge of the various offerings of New Zealand. The first-hand experience was truly educative, and I can’t wait to promote the beautiful country”, said Shalini Kalian, NCS Travels and Tours Pvt Ltd “Right from the restaurants/hotels chosen to every activity that was planned gave us a varied experience that will help us promote New Zealand in the Indian market. We had people from regional tourism offices joining us to give in-depth knowledge on products and services in their region. This helps us immensely to sell products of different regions” said Harneet Singh Sawhney, Born 2 Holiday LLP. The global incentive FAMIL succeeded in providing a holistic experience of New Zealand’s varied offerings, enabling, and empowering the travel trade partners to seamlessly promote the country.
Tourism New Zealand rewards trade partners with destination experience in a first-of-its-kind global trade incentive campaign
Off the back of the global launch of their latest 100% Pure New Zealand global campaign, IF YOU SEEK, Tourism New Zealand recently concluded its first global trade incentive campaign. As part of a concerted effort to support tourism recovery in New Zealand, the organisation has been actively increasing its trade initiatives across markets. The first-of-its-kind incentive campaign was launched to encourage trade partners to seek more and enhance their destination knowledge of New Zealand. To qualify, participating travel sellers were required to participate in activities and utilise the marketing resources in-market for a chance to join a trade familiarisation trip to New Zealand. Travel sellers from Australia, Germany, Japan, North America, Singapore, South Korea, India and the UK joined the recently completed IF YOU SEEK trade familiarisation trip. Between 17-22 April 2023, they participated in unique experiences through sensory, seeker-themed activities handpicked in conjunction with the campaign. Travel sellers from Asia visited the North Island (Waiheke Island, Waikato, Rotorua and Northland) and enjoyed these experiences during the trip: Waiheke Island: Pōwhiri (Māori welcome ceremony) at Piritahi Marae, followed by a bespoke tour of the island led by Ananda Tours and a visit to Batch Winery Maungatautari (Sanctuary Mountain): private guided tour of the conservation reserve where they learnt about efforts to re-introduce and breed endangered species through the installation of the world's largest pest-proof fence Hobbiton Movie Set Tours: an enchanting guided tour through the world-renowned picturesque pastures of the Shire of Hobbiton, the iconic movie set featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies. Redwoods Treewalk: Redwoods Nightlights – a magical tour through Rotorua's redwood forest under the stars and featuring 34 lanterns by renowned designer David Trubridge Hell's Gate Geothermal Reserve and Mud Spa: The Hell's Gate Experience – a three-in-one experience featuring an interactive geothermal walk, mud baths and sulphur spas Carino Wildlife Cruises: a sightseeing and dolphin-watching sail through the Bay of Islands Canopy Tours in Rotorua: an exciting zipline activity exploring the magnificent canopies and ancient forests of New Zealand Top Trail Cycle Hire and Tours: an adventure-packed cycling adventure along the breathtaking Twin Coast Cycle trail, spanning from Opua in the stunning Bay of Islands all the way to Horeke in the majestic Hokianga The Stone Store and Kemp House: a visit to one of New Zealand's oldest historical sites that holds the stories of the encounter between Māori and European missionaries Waitangi Treaty Grounds: a guided tour around New Zealand's most important historic site combined with a Māori cultural experience and a look at the world's largest ceremonial waka "Our trade partners are some of our most valuable advocates when it comes to driving in-market presence and preference for New Zealand. Destination knowledge is crucial to what they do, and we hope this experience in New Zealand has left them with a deeper appreciation and understanding that will be translated in how they position New Zealand to their customers in the market." shared Gregg Wafelbakker, General Manager, Asia, Tourism New Zealand. Aaron Gilden, Head of Sales, South & South East Asia, UK & Europe, Air New Zealand, echoed sentiments, adding, "We hope the experience will help our trade partners generate more meaningful conversations and interest around New Zealand. As the airline partner, this campaign opened opportunities for us to better engage with our partners and in turn, strengthen our show of what Air New Zealand has to offer."
Tourism New Zealand relaunches travel trade website
Tourism New Zealand has relaunched its travel trade website with the aim to deliver the best information, education, resources and support to inspire and help travel agents to sell New Zealand. The new website has simplified functionality with content grouped in four different sections: Training & Inspiration; Tools & Resources; News; and Events. According to the release, the new website provides a comprehensive one-stop-shop for online training and inspirational content, as well as all sales tools and resources. The updated design and layout are more intuitive and user friendly for the agents. The website content is dedicated to informing them about New Zealand tourism product news, travel industry events and providing training opportunities to them. Indian travel trade remains committed to destination New Zealand. There was an overall increase in engagement for the month of March due to the website’s relaunch, where India had the highest number of travel agents creating new 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Program (NZSP) accounts (157) compared to the rest of the global markets. India along with Japan had the highest number of agents logging into (NZSP) to complete their modules. “India is an important market for Tourism New Zealand and Indian travel agents play an integral role in our initiatives. Our new travel trade website is aimed at equipping our travel trade community with tools to engage their customers more creatively. Content available includes an extensive library of digital resources including all training webinars created over the past two years.” says Venessa Chen, Regional Marketing Manager-Asia, Tourism New Zealand.
Tourism New Zealand marks 20th anniversary of ‘The Fellowship Of The Ring’
December 10, 2021 will mark 20 years since the international premiere of the first film in the iconic The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring. And with that, the world saw its first glimpse of New Zealand as Middle-earth, setting the scene for J.R. R Tolkien’s novel series. The impact of the films on tourism in New Zealand has been monumental, and it remains a driver for visitation 20 years on. The 2019 International Visitor Survey conducted by MBIE found 18% of holiday visitors cited Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit films as the reason they first became interested in visiting New Zealand. The 2019 International Visitor Survey conducted by MBIE found approximately 33% of all holiday visitors to New Zealand will visit a film location. Jaw-dropping natural landscapes across both the New Zealand’s North and South Islands play backdrop for many of the film’s iconic scenes. Wētā Workshop [based in Wellington, New Zealand] were the masterminds behind the concept design, armour, weapons, creatures, miniatures and special makeup effects for the The Lord of The Rings Trilogy. To mark this milestone, Hobbiton Movie Set will be celebrating with a special outdoor film screening where the adventure first began, on the grassy clearing of The Party Field. It was here in January 2000 that over 100 extras and approximately 300 crew filmed one of the most memorable scenes from the film, over the course of three nights. The event will be the first 4k screening of The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in Australasia. Experience the magical world of The Lord Of The Rings in real life only in New Zealand once the borders open in the near future.
Tourism New Zealand sets sights on AIME 2022
Tourism New Zealand sets sights on AIME 2022 The AIME Insider is back, and with some exciting news from across the Tasman Sea! We are thrilled to share that Tourism New Zealand will be showcasing at AIME 2022, with not one, but three new convention centres and many new exhibitors! The impressive line-up includes Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre; Tākina, the Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre; and the much-anticipated New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in the heart of Auckland city. Sharing the latest scoop, Tourism New Zealand General Manager Domestic & Business Events Bjoern Spreitzer said, “Our industry revolves around meeting face to face, and New Zealand is very excited about returning to AIME and meeting in-person again. “We’ll be turning up with a bigger contingent than last time to showcase what we have to offer the Australian and regional market.” We can’t wait to see the new connections between our trans-Tasman friends! Follow the AIME Insider for more updates on behind-the-scenes news, tips and happenings for the 2022 event. Yours mischievously, The AIME Insider https://www.traveldailymedia.com/events/aime2022/
Tourism New Zealand unveils new marketing hub in India
Tourism New Zealand has launched its 100% Pure New Zealand Marketing Hub in India, housing free and professionally designed marketing assets, so that when international travel resumes, the travel trade will be well prepared to convert sales for New Zealand. The hub aims to keep the New Zealand travel dream alive by providing agents with an extensive digital toolkit. The free marketing tools include emails, images, print ads, sales flyers, web banners, sharable Facebook posts and more. Agents will be able to customise these marketing assets with their own sales message, logo and contact information. “India is an important market for New Zealand. In launching this self- service Marketing Hub we aim to empower our agents with the right kind of information and assets that will creatively engage their customers and ultimately help make their job easier and more effective,” says Venessa Chen, regional marketing manager-Asia in Tourism New Zealand. Tourism New Zealand is also launching a new season of its Virtual Road Trip webinar series which supports the travel trade with New Zealand information that’s most relevant to Indian consumers. The webinars will highlight trade tools and resources that will help agents to qualify and become a 100% New Zealand specialist, along with popular themes like self-drive campervan, adventure and adrenaline, culture, food and wine to name a few.
Tourism New Zealand
Tourism New Zealand Nelson Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland, New Zealand New Zealand
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