First National Tourism Database commissioned

Press release from IBIS Technology

Tuesday 22 May 2007

New Zealand’s first National Tourism Database commissioned

New Zealand’s first comprehensive national visitor information database providing up-to-the-minute information about the country’s entire range of accommodation, activity and travel offerings, and a real-time direct booking tool, is under development.

The company responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of the project is leading tourism software company IBIS Technology.

The Queenstown based company has been commissioned by i-SITE New Zealand, a division of Tourism New Zealand that is responsible for the country’s national network of 88 i-SITE Visitor Information Centres.

Erik Bradshaw, Managing Director of IBIS Technology, said his company has been providing unique software for New Zealand’s tourism industry for the past 12 years. About 70% of the computerised systems used by national i-SITE centres around New Zealand are supplied by IBIS.

“We set up IBIS Technology to provide a single solution to tourism booking, accounting and management needs. Our software provides real-time booking, vouchering and payment systems and is designed for individual operators as well as booking centres. It makes good sense for i-SITE New Zealand to build from this already solid base to create a national system,” said Mr Bradshaw.

George Hickton, Tourism New Zealand CEO, said the new booking system and database would distribute information more quickly and efficiently, and would help operators save time and money.

“We see the role of this technology as crucial to the development of the i-SITE network and to tourism in New Zealand,” said Mr Hickton.

“It’s a huge advance in terms of using technology to deliver benefits across the industry.”

Under the new system, individual i-SITEs will regularly upload their region-specific information to the national database and download the national updates. Suppliers and tour operators can also feed their own updates electronically into the database.

The IBIS technology designed system means that all i-SITE staff will have finger-tip access to every tourism product in the country and will be able to make reservations for New Zealand’s visitors with full confidence and knowledge of the range of options available.

Mr Bradshaw said he was delighted with being involved with the project.

“IBIS Technology is working with Tourism New Zealand towards providing a national resource which will benefit visitors, tourism operators and providers as well as front-line i-SITE staff who offer advice and make bookings.”

Sally Kemp, Development Co-ordinator, Tourism Development, Tourism New Zealand and IBIS Technology General Manager Christine Ryan toured the country last month to meet i-SITE operators and demonstrate the database.

ENDS

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