West Coast tourism operators offered business insights

West Coast tourism operators offered business insights

About 40 West Coast tourism operators are gathering in Greymouth tomorrow to learn more about the trends impacting their businesses and New Zealand’s multi-billion dollar tourism industry.

Tomorrow’s event is the latest stop in the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) 2013 Regional Roadshow, which is travelling to 10 centres around New Zealand between March and June.

The agenda includes an update on the development of a National Tourism Plan, being led by TIA.

TIA Policy and Research Manager Simon Wallace says tourism is one of New Zealand’s biggest export industries but there is no clear national plan in place to lead the industry forward.

“Tourism has faced rapidly changing trading conditions over the last few years as a result of the global financial crisis, the growing number of visitors from Asian markets and the impact of the Christchurch earthquakes,” Mr Wallace says.

“At the same time, domestic tourism continues to be the mainstay for many tourism businesses and we need to look at how to encourage more New Zealanders to travel around their own country. Never has there been a more important time to focus on where the industry is going and how we are going to get there.”

He will also discuss other major projects being carried out by TIA, including:

• Tourism Funding – an investigation into national and regional funding issues for the tourism industry

• Tourism Intelligence – improving the information available to tourism operators and ensuring it is relevant, easily accessible and timely

• China Growth Support – to support public and private sector initiatives to grow the size and value of this key emerging market

• Adventure Safety – working with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and private operators to strengthen safety awareness, processes and procedures in this sector.

Operators attending the Roadshow will also hear more about the new Regional Tourism Indicators (RTIs) which measure the expenditure of international and domestic travellers around New Zealand.

“The RTIs are an exciting new tool for tourism businesses, showing them exactly what travellers are spending money on in their community. This helps them understand what visitors are looking for when they visit the West Coast,” Mr Wallace says.

“It’s also fascinating to see how many businesses benefit directly from travellers. Businesses like petrol stations and supermarkets gain significant spend from travellers, as well as tourism operators.”

The TIA Regional Roadshow is sponsored by TIA commercial partners Telecom, Westpac and Mercury Energy. Go to www.tianz.org.nz/main/2013TIARegionalRoadshow for dates and venues.

ENDS

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