Strong international interest in NZ tourism showcase

Strong international interest in NZ tourism showcase

Around 290 tourism and travel Buyers from 27 countries will attend TRENZ 2013, 21-24 April, between them generating hundreds of thousands of international visitors to New Zealand annually and tens of millions of dollars in new business.

Organised and managed by the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA), TRENZ 2013 is the $23.4 billion tourism industry’s most important annual international marketing event.

More than 250 of New Zealand’s leading tourism businesses will showcase their products to the international Buyers, who come from New Zealand’s traditional visitor markets such as Australia, Japan, the USA and UK, and emerging markets such as Brazil, Indonesia and India.

“These Buyers are keen to discover what new and exciting tourism products New Zealand has to offer the world’s travellers, forge relationships and negotiate contracts for the seasons ahead,” says TIA Chief Executive Martin Snedden.

“The majority of Buyers who attend say TRENZ is more important than any other marketing and purchasing activities they undertake.”

The response from international Buyers to TRENZ 2013 has been extremely positive, with some 290 taking up the opportunity to travel to New Zealand and learn more about the destination, says Kevin Bowler, Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand, a major supporter of the event.

“In total, these Buyers have told us they expect to send about 700,000 visitors to New Zealand over the coming year, over half our holiday arrivals.”
Mr Bowler says the highest level of attendance is from Australia and China, New Zealand’s two largest visitor markets, with around 40 Buyers attending from each.

“Within these numbers we have targeted luxury buyers from China and those companies that specialise in mono-destination tours, in line with Tourism New Zealand’s strategy to boost higher-value, longer-stay Chinese arrivals,” says Mr Bowler.

Chinese visitors to New Zealand spent $651 million in 2012, up 42% on the previous year, highlighting the importance of this fast growing visitor market.

Buyers from 11 European countries have registered their attendance at TRENZ 2013, with a particularly impressive 15 from Germany and solid turn-out from the Netherlands (10), Switzerland (5) and France (4).

“Given that many European buyers attend only every second year, this is a great uptake. We also have STA on board – the world's largest student and young adult travel agency – which will ensure the valuable youth sector is covered,” says Mr Bowler.

“The UK, USA and Japan will also feature strongly at TRENZ, reflecting Tourism New Zealand’s current market focus.”

Martin Snedden says after a challenging 2011, Japan, New Zealand’s fifth largest visitor market, is showing positive signs of recovery.

“Recent research shows the Japanese are starting to travel again with an increase in the number choosing to visit long-haul destinations.”

He says in order to maximise the value the tourism industry gets out of TRENZ 2013, Buyer invitations have been targeted even more than in previous years.

“The Buyers who are coming target and will ultimately deliver more of the type of travellers the industry wants coming to New Zealand – those who stay longer and do more.”

About TRENZ
TIA is organising and managing TRENZ 2013. It will bring together more than 250 New Zealand tourism operators (Exhibitors) with around 290 invited international travel and tourism Buyers plus international and domestic Media. The event directly helps to grow New Zealand’s tourism industry, worth $9.7 billion in foreign exchange annually. Hosted by ATEED, TRENZ 2013 will be held on Queens Wharf, Auckland.
TRENZ is supported by Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Qantas and other industry partners.
For more information visit www.trenz.co.nz

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