Tourism New Zealand is targeting the youth and backpacker market
with a new campaign urging them to "Go All The Way" … to New
Zealand.
The campaign was launched today (Thursday) at New Zealand's
first-ever Backpacker Industry Conference held at AUT (Auckland
University of Technology).
Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton said younger
travellers and backpackers had continued to travel during the
economic downturn, showing their resilience as a sector. This
campaign was to ensure that New Zealand was on the list of places
they wanted to visit.
"Many backpackers from the UK and Europe go as far as Australia
in their gap-year, but we want to challenge them to complete the
journey and 'Go All The Way' by coming down to New Zealand,' George
Hickton said.
According to the International Visitor Survey, New Zealand
welcomed 183,100 backpackers - those defined as spending over 30
per cent of their stay in backpacker accommodation - in the year to
June 2009, up 4 per cent. This compares with an overall decline in
arrivals of 2.8 per cent to 2.4 million in the year to July.
Tourism New Zealand worked with Backpacker Industry Organisation
NZBackpack.com and Youth Hostels Association to research the youth
and backpacker market and to devise the new campaign.
"We found that despite the economic downturn, youth travellers
are not put off by ticket prices and they are very driven to get to
the destinations they want to see. New Zealand is seen as worth the
effort, but in this competitive market we need to push them to make
that commitment to get here," George Hickton said.
The focus for the new campaign will be the Northern Hemisphere
markets, including the UK and Europe, ahead of the busy summer peak
travel months.
George Hickton said though some saw backpackers as low spenders,
they stay longer than the average, which means their overall spend
by the end of their trip is higher.
"They also tend to travel widely around New Zealand taking their
spending into regions which then benefit from the visits," he
said.
The new campaign will run predominantly online and is kicking
off with a campaign on social networking website Bebo, being run in
partnership with global entertainment company Endemol.
Endemol is creating an online reality TV show - The Gap
Year: Challenge New Zealand - that will follow five Bebo users
as they travel around New Zealand taking part in challenges. The
Bebo community will be encouraged to vote for activities and
winners as the competition progresses. Competitors will also keep
blogs and online diaries.
www.bebo.com/thegapyear
For further information contact:
Cas Carter - 021 915 410
Background
Statistics
In the year to June 2009, 183,100 backpackers visited New
Zealand, up 4 per cent on the previous year. Backpackers made up 8
per cent of all international arrivals.
The Campaign
It will run in two main ways: there will be a focus on youth and
backpacker travellers from Northern Hemisphere markets before they
start travelling; a second focus will target the East Coast of
Australia to convince travellers to make the last leg of the trip
to New Zealand.
The campaign will run predominantly online, making use of social
media.
As peer-to-peer recommendation is the strongest motivator for
this group, Tourism New Zealand is working with entertainment
company Endemol to create an reality TV show - The Gap Year:
Challenge New Zealand. www.bebo.com/thegapyear
Competitors will audition through the Bebo page to win five
trips to New Zealand. While in New Zealand they will be followed by
a film crew and daily updates of their activities will be posted
online. The Bebo community will vote on elements of the competition
to decide the overall winner and also win a trip to New Zealand to
meet the finalists.
Competitors will also post daily blogs, diaries and updates via
Twitter and Facebook.
Tourism New Zealand will also work closely with operators in the
UK and Europe (including STA Travel) and with the New Zealand
Backpacker Network in Australia to promote travel under the "Go All
The Way" banner.
Campaign Dates
The search for contestants for The Gap Year: Challenge New
Zealand competition started on 14 September on Bebo. The
project will run through to late November, early December.
On October 4, Tourism New Zealand will run four weeks of
television commercials in the UK on television and 'Video On
Demand'. These will include advertisements targeting youth
travellers, as well as other audiences. Online ads targeting youth
travellers also commence and run to end November.
During October and November, Tourism New Zealand will run
further campaigns in Germany, The Netherlands and Scandinavia
alongside those in the UK.
During October and November, Tourism New Zealand will stage a
promotion on the East Coast of Australia.