Tourism New Zealand works with New Zealand operators to help
them market their businesses offshore through our international
trade events and marketing alliances, as well as through our
international media and trade famil programme.
To participate in some of these activities you'll first need to
meet the criteria below:
- Is your product well accepted in New Zealand?
Do you have an established client base and have you been successful
in marketing your business domestically?
- Have you got a clearly identified target
market?
- Do you have a website? Is it easy to use and
does it contain all the necessary information relating to pricing,
booking and contact details? Is it accurate and up-to-date?
- Do you have 24-hour phone and email servicing?
If you are working in countries in different time-zones, consumers
and travel agents will want to be able to get hold of you during
their working hours. What arrangements do you have in place to meet
this requirement?
- Have you got your pricing structures finalised and
commission rates agreed? A key thing to remember is that
there is a cost to working within the international marketplace and
distribution channels. Operators must include commission in their
pricing structures if they want to work successfully
internationally. See International
Distribution Channels for more information.
- Do you have a plan for the growth of your
business? How will you cope with an increase in visitor
numbers? Do you have a plan in place to increase the size of your
facilities and employ more staff if required? Can you afford to
cover these additional costs?
- Do you have a full range of marketing
materials? This includes brochures targeting consumers and
travel agents, as well as a comprehensive website.
- Are you working with your local Regional Tourism
Organisation (RTO) and i-SITE? It's important to start
with the basics and having good relationships with your RTO and
local i-SITE
Visitor Centre are fundamental to the ongoing success of your
business.
- Do you have the appropriate health and safety standards
in place?
- Do you have your Qualmark rating or
endorsement? All eligible businesses must have a Qualmark
rating or endorsement in order to participate in Tourism New
Zealand's offshore marketing events. If you choose not to apply for
a Qualmark, it is recommended that you consider another type of
accreditation. Industry accreditations assure your customers that
you manage a quality business and that they can trust the
experiences you offer. Find out more in Getting Your Qualmark.
- Have you participated in TRENZ and started building
relationships with inbound tour operators? TRENZ is one of
the best ways to start getting to know the offshore travel trade,
the types of products they're looking for and whether your product
fits their needs. See TRENZ and Trade Events for more
information. If you plan to work with wholesalers, you'll also need
to have existing relationships with inbound tour operators (IBOs)
in New Zealand.