Budget Rent a Car and Avis Rent a Car have committed to support TravelSafe NZ to help ensure their clients safety and welfare.
“We see TravelSafe NZ as an extremely valuable tool, that not only informs people of travel hazards and possible disruptions, but also provides international travellers with valuable driving tips while travelling around New Zealand,” says Managing Director Avis Budget Group Kathryn O’Neil.
Annual Conference registrations are now available via this link. https://tourism-export-council-conference-2014.lilregie.com/step1
Located in Whakatane (Eastern Bay of Plenty), Ngati Awa Tourism operates tours to Moutohorā (Whale) Island, one of NZ’s most restricted wildlife sanctuaries. Moutohorā (Whale Island) is home to endangered bird species such as the Saddleback, Kākāriki (NZ parakeet), and the Little Brown Kiwi. It is also home to NZ’s living dinosaur, the Tuatara, and other species of lizard. Visitors can dig their own personal spa on the island’s secluded hot water beach.
Alongside the tour operation sits White Island Rendezvous, a 39-room 4 star plus motel with an onsite café and small gift shop.
Our collection includes internationally recognised brands such as Pullman, Sofitel, Mövenpick, Novotel, ibis, and Mercure, alongside distinctive New Zealand-owned brands including Fable and Edit Hotels.
From luxury waterfront properties to value-focused accommodation, our portfolio caters to groups, and independent travellers. Located in New Zealand’s leading tourism destinations, our hotels deliver memorable guest experiences, exceptional service, and flexible accommodation solutions to suit every travel need.
So/ Auckland
Tourism Export Council supports the Tourism 2025 framework
Chief Executive of the Tourism Export Council, Lesley Immink, congratulates Martin Snedden and the project team on Tourism 2025 released on Monday 24 March 2014 and agrees that “alignment to the framework” by different sectors of the industry is key to its success going forward. Since the 2025 plan was initiated in 2012, the Tourism Export Council and inbound tour operators have seen significant improvement in communication with other tourism stakeholders, resulting in better understanding of the role of traditional and new distribution channels, Ms Immink says.
Inbound tour operators are actively thinking about filling the seats on every plane with a new priority following the example given at the TIA Summit 2013 where if we can fill 12 more seats (4 front, middle and back) on every flight to New Zealand, it will help everyone be more profitable.
“It sounds like a no brainer. Filling more seats translates to more profit, but to have all international sales staff actively considering this at every negotiation demonstrates our support to the airlines, airports and air connectivity. We do, however, need to remember that while high value visitors are part of the end goal, we still need and value our visitors who fill the middle/back sections of the plane and coaches,” Ms Immink says. Another example of working within the Tourism 2025 framework is to negate barriers for doing better business. These include visa time lags for visitors and employment of multi-language staff up and down the country. We are working closely with Immigration New Zealand and other agencies to help minimise the frustration our visitors experience before they get here, and to retain and employ appropriate staff to help exceed their expectations when travelling around the country, she says.
The five framework themes of connectivity, insight, target, productivity and visitor experience will have different priorities with different stakeholders. As part of each theme we need to consciously thread “living up to the 100% Pure New Zealand experience” being part of our responsibility to the environment and cultural identity.
“Our commitment to the environment and inserting ‘manaakitanga or kiwitanga’ at every phase of the framework is crucial as they are our key points of difference from other destinations competing for the same visitors.”
The Tourism 2025 launch was a memorable afternoon and the Tourism Export Council encourages its members and tour operators to not just read the framework but activate it!
TOURISM BUSINESS MAGAZINE – JAN/FEB 2014
Being the start of the year it is an opportune time to indicate the priorities for the Tourism Export Council during 2014.
The Board has been working behind the scenes on advancing the ‘margins on gst’ issue, supported by TIA. While many in the industry think they are not affected by this issue, they are mistaken. Tourism exporters (ITO’s) are the only export sector that has to pay gst on their margins and this makes the law flawed and inequitable. The Covec economic impact report commissioned in 2012 was to determine the economic contribution of inbound operators to the tourism industry and the economy. It found that for every $1milion spent by an ITO, $817,000 went to tourism suppliers. If ITO’s were able to retain the margins, then more would be spent on international marketing and staff employment. This in turn would stimulate more spend down the tourism channels to operators. A ruling by the Australian High Court in 2013 ruled in favour of Australian inbound tour operators and makes New Zealand ITO’s even more uncompetitive. This issue is at the top of our list and we thank others in the industry who also support our cause.
In November 2013 we did a member survey on ‘immigration challenges’ re potential barriers for our international visitors to get to New Zealand and staff recruitment. This issue has been in the wings over recent years but definitely needs to come to the forefront. Business is being lost with the delays in processing over some visas and it is near impossible to recruit or retain valued multi language staff as the ‘labour market test’ gets enforced unfairly. 80% of members indicate they will need multi language staff – particularly Chinese and South East Asian speakers. It is the intention that we highlight this issue to Immigration and multi language speakers onto the ‘skills shortage list’.
Last year members clearly indicated that we need to do more to live up to our 100% Pure New Zealand promise and that we need to protect and maintain our most precious international marketing asset – the environment. If we can galvanise the nation to a ‘stadium of 4 million’ to support rugby, then why not a “national park of 4 million?” New Zealand in its entirety is a national park, surrounded by glorious coastline with stunning countryside and mountain views. We seriously need to re-visit the issue of an ‘environmental international tax/levy’ either on arrival or departure from New Zealand and have it targeted for environmental sustainability. International visitors would pay happily for the privilege of visiting New Zealand and we should be thinking of how we can manage it in today’s business environment so that we can free up DOC compliance staff to “conserve and not police”. If you have any views on this, we would be pleased to hear from you.
The Board and I will be working hard to achieve positive outcomes for the above as well as general operational activities representing your views to the appropriate tourism agencies. Save the Tourism Conference 2014 dates now – 26/27 August in Hamilton!
If your clients have returned from a day of sightseeing seeking a massage or simply enjoy being pampered while away from home, then we’ve got the answer at Edgewater in Lake Wanaka.
Element Edgewater Day Spa recently opened on site at Edgewater.
Experienced beauty therapist Vanessa Braghini and her team are available to relieve visitors’ stresses & strains, whilst cocooning them in a relaxing atmosphere, no matter what treatment is chosen.
From deep tissue massage to having hair titivated for a special occasion, there are a range of choices from the spa menu.
For further details visit: http://www.edgewater.co.nz/resort/day-spa/
SAVE THE DATES! Hamilton Waikato Tourism are the hosts for the 2014 Tourism Conference. Dates are Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 August 2014 with the Novotel Hotel being the conference hotel. Other accommodation can be booked at the Ibis and Sudima Hotels – both within a short walk.
Check out the Facebook pages of the Tourism Export Council https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tourism-Export-Council-of-New-Zealand/321989407850182 and Young TEC https://www.facebook.com/youngtourismexportcouncil to see photos from the Xmas Symposium 2013 and Young TEC Conference day!
This is a Merry Xmas example of how members can post their own media updates and good news!