ITC Industry News Bulletin #77

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, an intriguing new attraction has been discovered off the coast of Kaikoura, Airbnb launches a new feature, and much more.

TOP STORIES

New Kaikoura attraction surfaces after quakes

Soon after the recent earthquake in Kaikoura, it became obvious that the town’s usually thriving tourism scene had been dealt a major blow. It hasn’t taken long, however, for the town to start bouncing back. 

Kaikoura Kayaks crew Matt Foy and Conner Stapley noticed a strange bubbling in Whaler’s Bay, and it looks set to become a new attraction for both visitors and scientists alike. The water bubbles cover a space of roughly 100 metres across the bay.

Stapley has already informally named the bubbles ‘Hope Springs’, which are believed to be a mix of hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide that are being released from the ocean seabed. More scientists will soon be on their way to further study the phenomenon.

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Love helping people? A career in travel & tourism could be your calling

In particular, airports are a great place to work if you love helping others.

If you love helping people, you probably desire a meaningful career. Perhaps you’ve considered becoming a counsellor, teacher, social worker or nurse? Or maybe you dream of one day working for a charity?

These are all fantastic career choices for compassionate individuals, but you might want to add another option to your list of altruistic careers: travel and tourism.

According to a recent survey by the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC), many respondents said the best thing about working in travel and tourism is helping others.

“I love helping people and interacting with them – knowing that I could help or assist someone with something makes me happy,” said one ITC graduate, Nadine Semuelu.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #76

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, New Zealand is ‘open for business’ after the quakes, regional tourism has received further funding, and much more.

TOP STORIES

New Zealand still ‘open for business’ in wake of quakes

On Monday November 14, another major quake struck the South Island of New Zealand. Measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, it has caused damage to areas between Christchurch and Wellington, but Tourism New Zealand wants the world to know that the country is still open for business.

The main point to note is that while one area has certainly been affected, the rest of the country is still perfectly safe and is welcoming visitors with open arms. Any visitors wishing to travel between Christchurch and Picton or Blenheim won’t be able to travel along State Highway 1 and will have to take the inland route or fly instead.

“At this stage, it is impossible to predict the long-term impact the earthquake may have on tourism,” said Tourism NZ in a statement.

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My Dream Job: Cruise Ship Reservations Consultant

Do you dream of working in the cruise ship industry? Read on to find out what it’s like to have a cruise career.

Welcome to a new feature on the ITC Blog called ‘My Dream Job’, where we share stories from graduates who are working in their dream careers.

First up, meet Linda Divitt, a Reservations Consultant for Princess Cruises. Below, she gives us a glimpse into what it’s like to work in the cruise ship industry and shares some of her favourite memories from her career so far.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #75

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, New Zealand celebrates a record-breaking year in tourism (and has been named as the best country in the world).

TOP STORIES

New Zealand officially the best country in the world

New Zealand has come out on top as the best country to live in on the planet, according to research from a Legatum Institute think tank.

The decision was based on a range of factors, including health, social ties, governance, nature, education, freedom, security, and business opportunities. New Zealand still won first place (despite the fact that many countries are wealthier) – largely thanks to its ability to turn wealth into prosperity. 

New Zealand was followed by Norway in second place and Finland in third. Our Tasman neighbours Australia also made the top 10 at sixth place.

“Free markets, free people, and the world’s strongest society ensure that New Zealand takes the top spot in the Prosperity Index,” explained the institute.

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5 ways to get travel and tourism work experience while you study

Get your foot in the door of the travel and tourism industry by making the most of work experience opportunities.

If there’s two words you will hear over and over again at ITC it’s these: work experience, work experience, work experience.

Did we mention work experience?

Doing some work experience in the travel and tourism industry while you study is one of the best ways to increase your chances of landing a dream job after you graduate.

“Work while you study, no matter what job it is,” says ITC graduate Aish Rangarajan, who is currently working as Marketing Manager (NZ & Pacific Islands) for Tourism Malaysia.

“Every experience gets you that much closer to your dream job!” she adds.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #74

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, industry leaders predict the end of shoulder seasons, New Zealand wins prestigious luxury tourism accolades, and more.

TOP STORIES

Industry leaders predict the end of shoulder seasons

Like many major tourism destinations in the world, New Zealand has long experienced ‘shoulder seasons’ – off-peak times when visitor numbers drop, such as the middle of winter. However, if current trends continue, shoulder seasons may soon become a thing of the past. 

Lake Wakatipu boat operator Wayne Perkins has been in the industry for more than 30 years, and has noticed a huge difference. He told Radio New Zealand that accommodation is full year round, and that the difficulty of acquiring a place to stay in mid-summer and winter suggests that more people are booking in traditionally quieter times.  

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Introducing Andrew Houston

Andrew Houston joins ITC with years of travel and tourism experience under his belt, working for companies like Air New Zealand and Flight Centre.

Meet ITC’s newest tutor, Andrew Houston. Andrew teaches travel and tourism at the Botany Campus. Below, he gives us an insight into his career history, hobbies, and love for travel.

My story in travel and tourism has been a fantastic journey that has now brought me to an exciting new chapter as a tutor at ITC! Let me take you back to the beginning…

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #73

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, tourism is NZ’s top export, Taranaki has been named as the second-best destination to visit in 2017, and much more.

TOP STORIES

New Zealand’s top export announced: Tourism

New Zealand has long been known for its exports in dairy and agriculture, but new data has shown that tourism is now the number one export for the country.

In the year ending March 2016, the international tourism market drew $14.5 billion to the economy. Plus, more than 188,000 people are directly employed within the industry.

Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Kevin Bowler, who is leaving the role after seven years in the position, is extremely proud of the result.

“The impact of tourism spend is far ranging, benefiting retail owners, supermarkets, petrol stations, restaurants and cafes in addition to accommodation and travel spend” he added.

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We’re giving away 20 scholarships!

We are giving away 20 scholarships to study at ITC in 2017 – applications open now!

Calling all travel lovers: you have a 1 in 20 chance of receiving a scholarship to study at ITC in 2017.

We are giving away 20 scholarships to celebrate our 20th birthday and to help 20 motivated individuals gain a qualification in airline, travel or tourism.

Scholarships range between $1,000 and $5,000 NZD and will be awarded to applicants who can demonstrate outstanding enthusiasm for the industry. Could that be you?

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