The last two years has seen a huge boost to the usual visitor attraction promotion spend from regional development agency Te Puna Umanga/Venture Taranaki, thanks to external funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

As part of the Government's 2020 Strategic Tourism Asset Protection Programme (STAPP), created to aid the recovery of tourism communities in the wake of COVID-19, Venture Taranaki was awarded $700,000, with a further $1 million added to the total in 2021. Of this funding, a portion was utilised for out-of-region promotions, to market Taranaki to the rest of New Zealand (and at times, the world) as a must-visit destination.

The remaining funding was utilised to support the development of new visitor product including drive journeys, as well as supporting visitor enterprises’ capability.

"As the region’s development agency, this funding enabled us to invest further in our regional brand, increasing domestic awareness and connecting with new audiences to encourage visitation during a time when COVID was creating a sense of uncertainty around travel," explains GM Destination, Brylee Flutey.

"For the last two years, we have been activating our ‘like no other’ message across our targeted audiences, and have been fortunate to have the support of MBIE to access markets and deliver activity that we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to afford; the likes of TV commercials, and large-scale billboards in main centres," says Flutey.

"At the time of the funding announcement, we saw it as an opportunity to create immediate, mid-, and long-term benefits within our local visitor sector."

"With a noticeable increase in both domestic and international tourists currently in Taranaki, booked out accommodation providers, and ringing tills across retail and hospitality, it would appear that the increased level of promotional activity over the last few years has had a positive effect on attracting more visitors to Taranaki," continues Flutey.

Using readership figures and digital engagement statistics, Venture Taranaki estimates they have reached well over 13 million people, both nationally and internationally, during the course of their recent activity, utilising TV, digital, and other channels to connect the region with travellers looking for a unique and memorable visitor experience.

"It’s always challenging for locals to grasp the breadth of activity we’re undertaking behind the scenes as most of our activity is targeted to people living outside of the region. So, while it may appear to be a bit of a ‘luck of the draw’ that we’re experiencing an influx of tourists this summer, and annual sector growth, a lot of work has been done by VT to support visitation and position the region as a desirable destination. It is something we’re really proud of," explains Flutey.

The close of 2022 saw the end of the STAPP funding specifically earmarked for regional promotion, meaning that Venture Taranaki reverts back to its traditional promotion budget. However, the regional development agency is used to making the most of every dollar, and planning is underway to ensure the momentum isn’t lost.

"We’re looking to continue the momentum and awareness we’ve created in recent years and plan to leverage our diverse events, unique regional stories, as well as digital channels to ensure we continue to connect with and remain top of mind for domestic travellers," concludes Flutey.

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