ITC Industry News Bulletin #28

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, a Tourism New Zealand marketing campaign is performing exceptionally well, Air New Zealand’s 7th anniversary exhibition comes to Auckland and more.

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New campaign ad rating higher than 100% Middle-earth

A new Tourism New Zealand marketing campaign, ‘Every Day a Different Journey’, is performing exceptionally well. Launched in July, the campaign’s TVC is currently rating higher than previous middle-earth ads in Australia, China, USA, UK, Germany and Japan.

According to an evaluation undertaken in October, the ad is rating at an average of 77 per cent, whereas middle-earth ads rated an average of 64 per cent.

Director of Marketing at Tourism New Zealand, Andrew Fraser, said it was a “massive challenge” to follow the success of the middle-earth campaign, so he’s pleased to see the new approach is working.

“These results show that our idea of presenting a visit to New Zealand as a series of interlinking, spectacular experiences within relatively easy reach is an absolute winner. It’s great news,” Mr Fraser said.

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‘I’m over the moon’: ITC graduate secures dream job

Tony Moses is ‘over the moon’ about the education he received from ITC. Tony studied the Level 3 Certificate in Tourism with a Strand in Aviation and recently started a new job with Menzies Aviation.

A graduate from the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) has landed a great job with Menzies Aviation at Auckland Airport – and he believes this is largely thanks to the support and encouragement of his tutors.

“I’m over the moon with how much time and support the tutors gave me and my classmates,” says Tony Moses, who recently completed the Level 3 New Zealand Certificate in Tourism with a Strand in Aviation at ITC’s South Auckland Campus.

“They give so much of their own time and advice, and help students with whatever career direction they want to go in. I’m honoured to be known as an ITC graduate,” he added.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #27

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, Air New Zealand announces new flights to Vietnam and New Zealand could be on the road to securing the title of ‘World’s Best Country’ for the fourth year in a row.

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Air New Zealand to fly direct to Vietnam

In case you missed the exciting announcement late last week, Air New Zealand is set to start flying direct to Vietnam. The airline is launching a seasonal service between Auckland and Ho Chi Minh City from June to October next year. Flying three days a week, the flight time will be approximately 11 hours.

Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon says the new service “provides the ideal gateway” for Kiwis to experience Vietnam’s myriad attractions.

“Vietnam is an increasingly popular leisure destination with the number of Kiwis visiting the country up about 20 percent in the past year,” Mr Luxon said in a statement.

“It’s a holiday spot that has huge appeal and we’re confident that by offering a direct service even more Kiwis will be keen to explore it.”

Mr Luxon added that the direct flight will also make it easier for Vietnamese travellers to visit New Zealand.

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ITC short courses inspire secondary school students to study tourism at tertiary level

A group of secondary school students learn about NZ’s exciting tourism industry thanks to an interactive ITC short course.

The International Travel College of New Zealand’s passion for the tourism industry has inspired a cohort of secondary school students to pursue this exciting career choice.

Every year, the ITC short course team educates hundreds of 15, 16 and 17 year olds about New Zealand’s airline, travel and tourism industry, through interactive lessons, practical activities and industry visits.

The aim of these short courses is to show students what it’s really like to work in tourism, so they have plenty of information when it comes to making a decision about what to study when they leave school.

While some go on to pursue other passions, many short course students ‘catch the tourism bug’ and decide to study the subject at tertiary level. This is a great win for the tourism industry, which is currently in a high-growth phase in New Zealand and in need of skilled, motivated workers.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #26

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, Qantas and American Airlines announce a new daily service between Auckland and LA, accommodation providers enjoy another record-breaking month and more.

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New American air service brings economic benefits

Qantas and American Airlines have announced a new daily route between Los Angeles and Auckland, with regional New Zealand connections via Jetstar. Chief executive of the Tourism Industry Association Chris Roberts says this new service is yet another step in the right direction towards NZ’s Tourism 2025 goals.

“The US is our third biggest visitor market and they enjoy what we have to offer. Tourism operators around the country will be keen to support this new service with activities and experiences that appeal to North American visitors,” says Mr Roberts.

“It’s fantastic to see airlines responding to the strong demand out of North America to visit New Zealand by increasing the supply.”

The new service is planned to commence in June 2016.

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ITC’s team building tenpin bowling fun

Students from ITC enjoy a fun day tenpin bowling at Metrolanes in Queen Street.

Last Tuesday students from the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) descended upon Metrolanes in Queen Street for a day of tenpin bowling fun.

Every class from the City Campus participated in this team building event, a wonderful opportunity for students to get to know each other outside of college.

ITC organises events like this every few months to help students to stay motivated and engaged. Just a few weeks ago, the South Auckland Campus organised an X-Factor competition for similar reasons. Sometimes a break from the classroom is the best thing for productivity levels.

“These events are a great chance for students to make new friends, improve their self-confidence and just generally have a bit of fun. After all, that’s what the tourism industry is about – working with people and having a great time!” says Tisi Tupou, Student Services Adviser.

What’s more, the better students get along, the more likely they are going to look forward to coming to college. Having a good group of friends in the classroom helps students stay on track. By the time graduation rolls around, most students have made lifelong friendships.

“It’s heart-warming to see friendships blossom around the college,” says ITC’s City Campus Manager Michelle Chatfield.

“As long as students are attending class on time, abiding by the college dress code and of course completing their work to a good standard, then we encourage them to have as much fun as possible while they’re here. Like Tisi said, tourism is a fun industry and we like to reflect this on campus.”

With the year nearly coming to an end, the next student event is likely to be Christmas related – watch this space!

ITC Industry News Bulletin #25

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, New Zealand’s Great Walks are launched on Google Maps, the TIA supports a review of tertiary education, Air NZ wins another top award and much more.

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New Zealand’s Great Walks launch on Google Maps

360 degree views of New Zealand’s Great Walks are now available on Google Maps, including popular tracks such as the Abel Tasman and Routeburn.

The imagery was captured by the Google Street View Trekker, a backpack with more than 300 cameras which take photos every few seconds.

Ross Young, spokesman for Google New Zealand, said the addition of the Great Walks to Google Maps is likely to do wonders for tourism.

“Immersive technology experiences like these give international tourists the chance to see first-hand how stunning our country is before they travel,” says Ross.

“This is a great example of business and government working together to use technology and the internet to tell New Zealand’s story to the world.”

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Last chance to apply for an ITC 2016 scholarship

Last year’s scholarship winners pose with their certificates alongside ITC tutor Ali Rigby.

Would you like to win some money to go towards your studies at the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) in 2016? If you’re passionate about airline, travel or tourism, you could be eligible for a scholarship.

We have a pool of $25,000 on offer, with scholarships ranging between $1000 and $5000 each. Entries close on 7 December, so you have just one more month to submit your application.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to receive financial assistance. Apply now to get your travel and tourism career off to a flying start.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #24

In this week’s industry news, tourism comes closer to toppling dairy as NZ’s top export earner and Waiheke Island is voted as one of the world’s must-visit destinations for 2016, plus much more.

TOP STORIES

Waiheke Island world’s fifth best region: Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet has named Waiheke Island as the fifth best place to visit in 2016 – an accolade that is expected to attract thousands of tourists to the island’s beautiful shores.

According to Lonely Planet’s marketing director, Chris Zeiher, Waiheke was chosen for its gorgeous natural beauty and abundance of tourism activities.

The island is “a utopia of secret coves, beautiful beaches, rolling vineyards, luxury lodges and bohemian sensibilities,” Mr Zeiher said in a statement announcing the list.

“In 2016 Waiheke Island is welcoming the world to sample from its abundant offerings and inviting all visitors to fall under its spell,” he added.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #23

In this week’s industry news, the border levy fees are set, spring attracts high numbers of international visitors and Fullers is investing in two new ferries, plus much more.

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Level of a new international ‘travel tax’ set

Despite opposition from several industry leaders, including the Tourism Industry Association (TIA), the government is pushing ahead with the ‘travel tax’. New border fees will be charged from 1 January 2016, it was announced last week.

The fee is $21.57 including GST for air travellers (return trip) and $26.22 for those arriving by cruise ship, boat or private plane.

Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy, told Radio New Zealand that the fees are in response to the increased number of arriving and departing travellers.

“All travellers are a risk as they could inadvertently carry ‘hitchhiker’ pests or prohibited items with them. The levy will allow border activities to respond to future demand and create a more sustainable platform for border risk management services,” Mr Guy said.

The TIA expressed disappointment with the decision in a press release published late last week.

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