Visiting driver safety training for travel sellers

Visiting driver safety training for travel sellers

A new online training module focusing on safe driving in New Zealand provides offshore travel sellers with the information they need to prepare people for a Kiwi self-drive holiday.

The module, developed by Tourism New Zealand is the latest in a series of modules that help overseas travel agents to sell New Zealand with confidence.

The driving module has been developed in answer to growing concern in New Zealand about the safety of visiting drivers. It will be available in seven languages and includes information from the New Zealand Transport Agency and the New Zealand Road Code. The training covers road rules, information about driving on the left, road conditions and speed restrictions.

Tourism New Zealand’s Chief Executive Kevin Bowler says: “The module is targeted at those who sell travel to others. It’s about trying to ensure that people who drive when they visit New Zealand have a safe, enjoyable and accident-free holiday.

“By working through this module travel sellers will be in a position to provide informed, reliable advice to people planning to drive in New Zealand. This will be particularly valuable, for example, when people are thinking about their itineraries.

“We know that driving in New Zealand is often very different to where our visitors are from and that there are some unique conditions that people are unlikely to have encountered before.

“The module encourages visitors to consider these unique conditions when planning their trip, such as the fact that with narrow, winding roads in some parts of New Zealand, it can take longer to reach places than the distances suggest and people need to make sure they leave enough time.

“We also want prospective visitors to consider how weather conditions, fatigue and unfamiliarity with our roads will impact on their journey. Information in the module is presented in a number of ways using multi-choice quizzes and hypothetical situations with a heavy reliance on still imagery.

It provides the sellers with all the information they need when they are talking to people who are planning their holiday and deciding whether or not self-drive is their best option.”

Driving Safely in New Zealand will be available to all travel agents selling New Zealand as a destination through the 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Programme and will be actively promoted by Tourism New Zealand’s 12 international offices. The module is currently in English but will be translated into Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, French, Spanish and Bahasa Indonesian.

ENDS

© Scoop Media