Kiwis explore their new-found appreciation for New Zealand travel
The latest Tourism New Zealand webinar has highlighted how Kiwis have found a new appreciation for local travel.
Tourism New Zealand has been keeping a close eye on travel and tourism within New Zealand, and has recently released its latest survey findings on the attitudes and goals of Kiwis when it comes to exploring their own backyard.
The January webinar hosted by Tourism New Zealand to discuss their findings was exciting, enlightening, and educational, and an important roadmap for tourism operators around the country.
Here are a few of our favourite highlights from the webinar.
Kiwis rediscover New Zealand
For a country of people nicknamed for a flightless bird, we’re well-known for our endless love of travel, and closing the borders didn’t dampen our enjoyment of going on adventures.
Instead, New Zealanders started to look domestically for fun travel opportunities, which they had “taken for granted and overlooked in the past”.
That has led to countless Kiwis heading back to their old favourite spots, and exploring new places that they had never got around to before. While major attractions have been quieter without international tourists visiting, New Zealanders have been taking this awesome opportunity to check them out – and loving it!
Kiwis want to support local tourism operators
In March and April 2020, New Zealanders showed the world just what a team of 5 million can do, and that community spirit and can-do attitude didn’t stop there.
After the lockdowns lifted, New Zealanders were keen to support one of the hardest-hit industries – tourism.
From taking tours to visiting cultural sites, Kiwis got out and supported tourism providers by the thousands. Not only that, but tourism operators have truly taken notice, saying “there was acknowledgement and a sense of appreciation for how New Zealanders have supported businesses and operators”.
This has all meant that tourism businesses and operators have been working hard to offer experiences for locals, focusing their efforts on marketing to Kiwis rather than international visitors.
“We have the opportunity to build more value into domestic tourism, ensuring New Zealanders feel just as satisfied with a domestic holiday as they would an international leisure holiday.”
A chance to reset
Before the pandemic, some New Zealanders felt that international tourism was exploding, and that the country could barely keep up with the demand.
With this quieter time before the borders open again, tourism operators and Kiwis alike are taking this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reset, and really think about what New Zealand can offer.
For example, the tourism boom was great for the economy, but did it consider the quality of the experience for the visitors or their impact on the environment?
With this time, New Zealand can find ways to improve the visitor experience for everyone, ensure locals don’t feel overwhelmed by the number of travellers, and importantly, ensure the environment is at the top of the priority list to keep New Zealand clean, green, and beautiful for generations to come.
Getting ready to re-open
It may be a while yet until those international borders do open again, and we’re all looking forward to the day when New Zealand’s tourism operators are bustling and busy with overseas visitors.
In the meantime, ITC has been providing industry workshops for tourism and travel operators around the country. We have worked with companies such as Qantas and the Explore Group, teaching and refreshing skills in areas such as management, customer service, cultural awareness, sales, communication, and more.
When borders do open, businesses and operators will also need fresh skilled and passionate staff to help re-welcome the world to New Zealand – and now is the time to earn those qualifications!
The International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) is the perfect place to learn everything you need to know to begin an exciting career in tourism and travel, whether that’s here in Aotearoa or somewhere overseas.
Get in touch to find out more or enrol in a 2021 course and take the first step in an incredible and rewarding career!
Campus Study – college@itc.co.nz 0800 TOURISM (0800 868747) or https://www.itc.co.nz/contact-us/
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