To all our #tourismheroes: We see you, and we’re thankful for you

Flights may be grounded, but we know there are still many #tourismheros working to help travellers all around the world.

In challenging times, some wise words from a man called Fred Rogers help us to focus on the good in the world. 

Fred Rogers once said:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping’.” 

There are many, many helpers at the moment. Our doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals. Teachers, supermarket assistants, delivery drivers. Hospitality workers, baristas, customer service professionals. Friends and family caring for one another, neighbours checking in on each other, and even strangers sharing funny stories and memes on the internet to lighten our spirits. 

We are thankful for every single helper in this pandemic.

Today, we want to make a special shoutout to all our #tourismheroes – all of the people working in the tourism industry to help travellers navigate this exceptionally challenging time.

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Key events for NZ tourism in 2019

If you’re interested in attending any of the major trade shows or conferences for NZ tourism in 2019, it’s a good idea to mark the dates in your diary.

Happy 2019, everyone!

This year is expected to be another big one for the New Zealand tourism industry, with lots of important events on the horizon.

Here are some key industry events to add to your calendar.

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Tourism Summit Aotearoa 2018: Key talking points

Te Papa, Wellington: the venue for the Tourism Summit Aotearoa 2018.

Earlier this month (Nov 8), the Tourism Summit Aotearoa 2018 was held in Wellington.

Hundreds of tourism delegates met at Te Papa to discuss the future of tourism and exchange ideas, opportunities, and challenges.

Here are some of the key announcements and talking points from the day.

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These new air travel statistics will astound you

New statistics about global air travel reveal the huge impact of this industry around the world.

Did you know the air travel industry supports 65.5 million jobs around the world? And it’s worth $27.7 trillion in global economic activity?

These impressive figures come from a new research report by the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG).

ATAG is raising awareness about the size of the global air travel industry and the huge impact it has on millions of lives around the world.

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Tourism by numbers: Five key stats about NZ tourism

With scenery like this, it’s easy to see why New Zealand attracts millions of visitors each year.

It’s no secret that tourism is one of New Zealand’s biggest industries. But just how big and how important is tourism for our country? That’s a story best told in numbers.

Here are five key stats about New Zealand tourism to help you better understand the significance of the industry.

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Why now is the perfect time to study tourism in New Zealand

Can you imagine working in a place like this? Queenstown is one of NZ’s most-loved tourist towns – and just one of the many amazing places you could work with a qualification from ITC.

It’s never too late to kickstart your tourism career with ITC. But if you’re looking for the ‘perfect time’ to join this exciting industry, it’s now!

A total of 3.5 million international visitors came to New Zealand last year, making 2016 one of the biggest tourism years on record – and 2017 is shaping up to be even better.

With so many visitors coming to our beautiful country, the tourism industry needs more skilled workers than ever.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #81

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, New Zealand is rated the friendliest country in the world, Te Papa is named as NZ’s best tourist destination, and much more.

Happy New Year! Welcome to another edition of the ITC Industry News Bulletin, bringing you the latest airline, travel and tourism news from around New Zealand. We’ll be changing the format of the Bulletin to an email newsletter in the near future – watch this space! We’ll keep you posted as the transition happens, but in the meantime please enjoy the news :)

TOP STORIES

New Zealand tops list of world’s friendliest countries

The Legatum Institute recently released its Prosperity Index, and while New Zealand gained first place out of 149 countries for prosperity, it also came in first in terms of social capital – of friendliness.

Using 10 years of data, the index takes into account a number of different factors and uses them to judge a nation’s overall prosperity. Social capital is a big part of the study, and New Zealand’s top ranking in this sub-category helped it gain the number one spot overall. This should come as no surprise to locals and visitors who already know about the country’s incredible reputation for kindness.

Norway and Finland came in second and third consecutively, while neighbours Australia also made the top 10 in sixth place.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #80

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, New Zealand celebrates 15 years as Middle Earth, Air New Zealand releases a new safety video, and much more.

TOP STORIES

New Zealand celebrates 15 years as Middle Earth

In 2001, Peter Jackson launched the first Lord of the Rings film and began a journey that turned the country into a real-life Middle Earth. Now, 15 years later, Tourism New Zealand is celebrating what turned out to be a massive boon for the industry.

The three Lord of the Rings films, as well as The Hobbit prequel trilogy, were filmed throughout the country. Filming locations and Matamata’s Hobbiton recreation are now lasting attractions for visiting tourists and locals alike.

Alongside a short video, the company has created a quiz that will help determine which character you might be, as well as handy guides on what to pack for a trip to Middle Earth depending on the outcome.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #78

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, NZ is dominating Indian travel searches, Christchurch Adventure Park is set to open, and much more.

TOP STORIES

New Zealand the most searched destination by Indian travellers

Following Sidharth Malhotra’s extremely successful second visit to New Zealand, Skyscanner has released data that shows New Zealand is at the top of Indian travellers’ searches.

In fact, the volume of searches has increased by 52 per cent. Australia trailed not far behind with a 47 per cent increase in searches.

Much of this success has been put down to Malhotra’s genuine love of the country. During one of his visits he said “I feel like I am in paradise. It’s heaven on earth”.

During his time in New Zealand, the Bollywood star enjoyed visits to major cities as well as rural areas, experiencing some of the country’s most iconic attractions such as the Sky Tower walk, bungy jumping in Queenstown, and a tour of Hobbiton in the Waikato.

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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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