TRENZ 2018 lures travel buyers from all over the world

TRENZ 2018 lures travel buyers from all over the world

Booming international interest in New Zealand is attracting more overseas travel marketers to TRENZ, the premier annual business event for New Zealand’s $36 billion tourism industry.

TRENZ 2018 will be held in Dunedin from 7-10 May, and will be attended by 387 Buyers, up from 377 last year. Buyers from major visitor markets like China, Australia and the United States will be joined by representatives from emerging markets like Brazil and the Philippines.

“These are the big behind-the-scenes players who shape how international visitors experience New Zealand,” says Chris Roberts, Chief Executive of Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), which manages TRENZ.

“The Buyers will be going to Dunedin to negotiate contracts for the coming year and meet with 314 of New Zealand’s leading tourism operators who will showcase their products and services at TRENZ.

“In addition to reconnecting with well-established tourism operators with whom they may have worked in the past, Buyers will be keen to discover new experiences they can sell to consumers in their home markets.”

Mr Roberts says that demand for spots at TRENZ has been extremely high and the event is almost at capacity.

“That high interest reflects the dynamism of New Zealand’s tourism industry. International and domestic visitor spending is at record levels, worth $36 billion over the year ending March 2017, and the industry is well on track to achieve its Tourism 2025 aspirational goal of $41 billion in annual revenue.

“However, there is still more to be done to attract high value visitors, who come at different times of the year and visit a variety of places in New Zealand. TRENZ is a unique showcase for everything New Zealand has to offer.”

Mr Roberts thanked TRENZ Premier Sponsor Air New Zealand for flying the majority of Buyers from around the world to attend the event.

Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Christopher Luxon says it’s fantastic to have Buyers from right around the globe attend this year’s TRENZ.

“This premier annual event is incredibly important in highlighting New Zealand’s diverse range of attractions to an influential network of international trade and media.

“It’s exciting our tourism industry is thriving and we are passionate about building demand for premium experiences, as well as ensuring the whole of New Zealand gets to see the economic benefits of tourism to ensure its growth is sustainable into the future.”

Over the four-day event, Buyers and Sellers will have a total of 30,000 15-minute meetings. It is business ‘speed dating’.

“Buyers tell us that TRENZ is the most important New Zealand tourism product purchasing activity they undertake,” says Mr Roberts.

“The deals they make and relationships they build at this year’s event will generate tens of millions of dollars’ worth of new tourism business for the New Zealand economy, benefiting communities across the country.”

Mr Roberts says it is very exciting to be holding TRENZ in Dunedin for the first time, and TIA is grateful for the tremendous support it has been receiving from Enterprise Dunedin.

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