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.

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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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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).

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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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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.

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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.

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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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ITC Industry News Bulletin #72

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, Air New Zealand continues to rake in awards, Queenstown has been named the top destination in Australasia, and much more.

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Queenstown named Top Destination in World Travel Awards 

Queenstown was named the Top Destination in Australasia in the World Travel Awards this week.

This is the second time the town has won the award – it first received the honour in 2014. This year, Queenstown was up against fellow nominees Bora Bora, Auckland, the Gold Coast, the Whitsunday Islands, the Yasawa Islands in Fiji, and last year’s winner, Sydney.

Queenstown’s array of adventure activities, unbelievable scenery, food and wine scene, and relaxed culture no doubt helped it take the top spot, which is decided on by popular vote.

Additionally, New Zealand as a country won the award for being Australasia’s leading adventure tourism destination. With destinations such as Queenstown and Rotorua on offer, Aotearoa seems a shoe-in for this award year after year.

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Introducing the first class of the next 20 years

ITC’s first class of the next 20 years recently started at the City Campus.

The International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) is currently celebrating its 20th birthday. Students have been treated to cake, presents, and even a day off. But this special birthday is about so much more than celebrating past success – it’s also a chance to celebrate the future.

With this in mind, we’re proud to introduce you to our first class of the next 20 years: The 16NZCT3-09s.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #71

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, New Zealand is ranked as one of the safest countries in the world, the Otago Rail Trail continues to attract high numbers, and more.

TOP STORIES

New Zealand ranks as one of the safest countries in the world

 A Travel and Tourism Report from the World Economic Forum has just listed New Zealand as the seventh safest country in the world – and a top contender in several other areas as well.

The report is used to create benchmarks in 141 different economies around the world, using 14 different pillars with dozens of indicators. Safety and security is just one of those pillars, and can be used to give travellers an idea of what they can expect from a country.

Finland took the top spot in first place, Australia landed a place as the 13^th safest country in the world, and the US trailed behind in 73^rd.

New Zealand also managed good scores in ‘international openness’ in which it ranked third, and ‘business environment’ in which it ranked eighth.

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20 presents for 20 years

ITC’s 20th Birthday celebrations continue! On Monday, the College awarded 20 presents to 20 lucky students – congratulations to all the winners.

The International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) is continuing to celebrate two decades of teaching airline, travel and tourism courses.

Celebrations kicked off in late August, when staff and students received a spontaneous day off in honour of the College’s 20th birthday. Then, just a few weeks ago, all students were treated to a free piece of delicious cake.

But what makes a birthday celebration complete? Presents!

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