Tourism Industry Seminar Heads to Dunedin

Tourism Industry Seminar Heads to Dunedin

Tourism pumps well over $320 million into economy of the Dunedin region each year and a tourism industry seminar being held in Dunedin on 16 October aims to help local operators increase that contribution.

Tourism accounts for a significant sector of the local economy, and supports numerous businesses and jobs throughout the region.

“Tourism is a major driver of Dunedin’s – and New Zealand’s – economy but we can do more to maximise the yield from the one and a half million visits international and domestic travellers make to the South region each year,” Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) Chief Executive Fiona Luhrs says.

This will be the aim of this week’s Tourism Industry Seminar, jointly presented by New Zealand’s four leading tourism organisations - Tourism New Zealand, the Ministry of Tourism, the Tourism Industry Association and Qualmark. Tourism Dunedin is co-ordinating the region’s involvement in the seminar, to be held at the Otago Museum on 16 October.

“These four agencies have worked hard to deliver a revamped programme which will provide relevant, timely, useful and practical advice to businesses wanting to grow their appeal to international visitors,” Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton says.

"The seminars also follow a new format which provides more flexibility, giving people a choice of topics to choose from, depending on their interests,” says Mr Hickton.

The programme has been redeveloped after three years of ongoing consultation with the industry.

The presentations will also cover increasing business yield and the topical issue of environmental sustainability.

The programme allows operators to learn more about important issues for the industry like recruitment, business development, quality assurance, understanding the international visitor and how they buy travel to New Zealand as well as marketing and research. There will also be presentations on enhancing the visitor experience and the latest on international marketing activity undertaken by Tourism New Zealand.

Ms Luhrs says: “This seminar series is a great way for operators to meet other tourism businesses in their region and gain practical skills for improving their business at the same time.”

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