To ensure destination New Zealand is in front of
agents regularly and in a way that delivers results in the key US
market, Tourism New Zealand continues to increase its presence with
travel consortia.
"With an increase in agents working from home, the consolidation
of traditional retailers and growing online travel options, we have
had to adapt the way we engage in the US to keep our product top of
mind with our key partners and travel sellers," says General
Manager Western Long Haul markets Gregg Anderson.
"This has seen the Trade Development team strengthen our
relationships and work alongside travel consortia, with an increase
of face-to-face meetings and sales calls. We also use webinars to
communicate with agents across different time zones.
"A great example of this is our successful partnership with
Virtuoso which continues to deliver growth year-on-year," says
Gregg.
Targeting the high-end luxury market, Virtuoso maintains its
quality with registered agents required to complete training
modules, and operators paying an annual fee for their product to be
sold and marketed. Given the range of quality product on offer in
New Zealand, Virtuoso agents sell both regional attractions and
activities alongside luxury and lodge accommodation.
Virtuoso's regular marketing activity, including monthly
magazines, e-blasts and specialised agent promotions ensures agents
can easily access tailored packages and competitive rates.
Furthermore, Virtuoso regularly markets to past travellers ensuring
destination New Zealand is regularly promoted to a captive
market.
"Here we can target our marketing through channels that we know
the travel agents are using - helping them to secure the best deals
for their customers and maximise conversion for our campaigns. We
also work closely with New Zealand based members to achieve a
greater presence within the Virtuoso network.
"A key aspect of its success is that all activity is measurable,
both for us and registered operators. This means we can be
confident that our marketing investment is used efficiently - as
well as delivering results to New Zealand operators," says
Gregg.
Tourism New Zealand is also working with a number of other
consortia either directly or with wholesale and IBO (In Bound
Operator) partners. For the cruise market these include Travel
Savers, Travel Leaders, Cruise Planners and Signature alongside
Virtuoso in the upmarket high end travel sector.
The US is currently one of Tourism New Zealand's top five
priority markets, for more information on the market see our Market
& Stats pages.