TRENZ returns to Auckland in 2010

2 October 2009

Media Release

TRENZ returns to Auckland in 2010

New Zealand’s biggest city will again be the focus for one of New Zealand’s biggest international business events next year.

TRENZ – the New Zealand tourism industry’s annual international showcase – will return to Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds, 24-27 May 2010.

This follows the successful return of TRENZ to Auckland in 2009 after a gap of six years.

“We’re very pleased to be taking TRENZ back to Auckland next year. In spite of the challenging global economic climate for tourism, TRENZ 2009 was rated a great success by both New Zealand tourism operators and the international travel buyers who participated,” Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) Chief Executive Tim Cossar says.

TRENZ showcases about 270 New Zealand tourism operators to a similar number of international travel and tourism buyers, and selected international media. The event directly helps to grow New Zealand’s $8.8 billion international tourism industry.

Over four days, the New Zealand operators meet the buyers in a series of 15 minute business appointments, where they negotiate agreements on accommodation, transport, tours and activities they can sell to their clients over the next two or three seasons. All New Zealand’s major tourism markets, including Australia, UK, USA, China and Japan, will be represented.

Thorough research and evaluation was carried out with participants in TRENZ 2009 to ensure the event was continuing to meet their needs and to discuss ways to further boost the benefits they receive from attending TRENZ. This will see some changes to the TRENZ programme in 2010, Mr Cossar says.

“Together with our event partners, we will be putting a lot of effort into attracting new buyers to attend TRENZ, from new markets and new sectors. We are also planning some exciting changes to the event programme, particularly on the first day, which we will be making public shortly.

“TRENZ is still the most efficient way for a large number of international buyers to conduct face-to-face business meetings with a large number of New Zealand operators in one place at one time. But the modifications we are planning will make it even better,” Mr Cossar says.

Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton says: “Tourism New Zealand is a major supporter of TRENZ and we will continue to work closely with TIA to ensure that the event continues to be highly successful and relevant to the industry.”

Tourism Auckland Chief Executive Graeme Osborne is delighted that Auckland will be the host region for TRENZ 2010.

“This year’s successful event helped to cement Auckland’s reputation as a destination well-suited to hosting New Zealand’s most significant tourism trade show. We look forward to partnering TIA and New Zealand tourism suppliers to host next year’s TRENZ in Auckland.”

Applications for New Zealand operators to exhibit at TRENZ 2010 will open in early November.

TRENZ is managed by TIA in partnership with Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Qantas, host region Tourism Auckland and other industry supporters. For more information, visit www.trenz.co.nz .

Key Facts

• Tourism contributes close to 10% of gross domestic product (GDP) for New Zealand

• Tourism directly and indirectly employs nearly one in ten New Zealanders (this includes 108,100 FTE directly and 73,100 FTE indirectly).

• Tourism in New Zealand is a $50 million per day industry. Tourism delivers $24 million in foreign exchange to the New Zealand economy each day of the year. Domestic tourism contributes another $26 million in economic activity every day.

• Total tourism expenditure reached $20.1 billion for the year ended March 2007. International visitor expenditure accounted for $8.8 billion or 18.3% of New Zealand’s foreign exchange earnings.

Visit www.tianz.org.nz for more information.

ENDS

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