Conclusiones y resultados

Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) is a national tourism organization, which is responsible for marketing New Zealand to the world as a tourism destination. The main marketing tool that has been used by TNZ is called “100% Pure New Zealand” marketing campaign. It is known worldwide and is one of the most recognizable tourism brands.

TNZ is addressing its marketing campaigns to three main publics: potential international and local consumers, travel trade, and global media. At the same time, TNZ encompasses work with tourism stakeholders in New Zealand in order to ensure high quality of local products and services for the tourism market.

While looking for potential tourists, TNZ is trying to attract “active considerers”, those potential travellers who are not just aware of the existence of New Zealand as a tourism destination, but are already interested to come and visit this country one day.

According to TNZ official website (2013c) they are “the oldest tourism marketing department in the world”, as it was established by the New Zealand Government in 1901. Currently the working team of TNZ consists of around 120 staff working in two offices in New Zealand – Wellington and Auckland. There are other eleven offices, which represent TNZ around the world. Offshore offices are based in London and are responsible for the United Kingdom and other European markets; Bangkok, Mumbai and Singapore, working for promoting New Zealand in the South East Asia. Other offices are based in Sydney in Australia; Seoul and Shanghai, China and North Asia; Tokyo in Japan; Los Angeles in North America, symbolizing strong presence of the destination

New Zealand working with potential tourists, trade and media in the above-presented markets. New offices are planned for the future in Indonesia and South America.

New Zealand's key international tourism markets are the next ones: Australia, China, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom, United States, South Korea, Canada, Singapore and India. Australia, China and the US represent the markets with the greatest value or potentiality, and as a result attract the highest marketing attention from TNZ. At the same time, the growth areas are believed to be in the South East Asia (e.g. Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia) as well as in South America.

Partnership with the travel trade is an important activity for TNZ. Several trade activities that are organised by TNZ include, but are not limited to the following:

 trade familiarization visits to New Zealand;

 assistance in the development of New Zealand travel on offer;

 online training modules about regions and different tourism products – Kiwi Specialist Program.

Eleven offshore offices are focused on managing the relationship with the travel trade through the organization and provision of:

 daily marketing support;

 trade events;

 in-market face-to-face trainings, which includes product marketing and selling seminars;

 webinars, which are particularly active in the North American market.

As reported by the Tourism New Zealand Annual Report (2013a), 137 face-to-face trainings were delivered in 2012 and accommodated around 6800 trade participants.

Additionally, 485 trade partners came to New Zealand for a familiarization trip same year.

According to TNZ representatives, online training modules are just a part of the training program dedicated to travel trade partners, and it should be seen and recognised as a whole and not something autonomously provided by the destination. According to Tourism New Zealand (2012a, p.25), the training activities dedicated to the travel trade partners as well as the growth of their capabilities to sell New Zealand, “is an important way to drive more conversions of interest into a real purchase”.

In terms of its online presence, New Zealand is one of the most mature online travel markets globally. Digital marketing is a core focus for TNZ promotional strategy, as it

“enables to reach a large and targeted international audience and engage with people considering a visit to New Zealand” (Tourism New Zealand, 2013a, p.5). In terms of the

online presence, TNZ is very active on social media websites, such as “Facebook” and

“Twitter”, which has generated a total fan base of 713.065 international users (Tourism New Zealand, 2013a).

Additionally to its social media presence, TNZ has created and is actively supporting three main websites:

i) Corporate website, www.tourismnewzealand.com, which gives official information about national tourism industry, presents statistics, and is aimed at the New Zealand industry representatives.

ii) Consumer website, www.newzealand.com, which performs a dual role. On one hand it serves as a marketing tool, which tries to convert potential tourists into actual ones. On the other hand, it has a role of enabling visitors to engage with each other and with travel sellers in order to share information and travel advices on their possible trips to and within New Zealand. The website is available in five languages.

iii) Trade website, www.newzealand.com/travel/trade, was designed and developed by TNZ as a major component of the relationship with travel trade partners. The website has been created in order to collect all the resources that might be helpful for those selling travel in their daily activities. The trade site presents the next sources:

 multimedia resources which can be used for the promotion of trips to New Zealand by travel trade;

 events calendar;

 help in designing holidays at the destination New Zealand;

 help in itinerary planning;

 online training modules;

 trade news.

Online training modules form part of the “Kiwi Specialist Program”. This online training programme is an important part of Tourism New Zealand’s work with agents that are based in other countries. Online training offers professionals e.g. high street travel agents, niche travel sellers, retailer consortiums, such as STA Travel or wholesalers, a chance to build in-depth destination knowledge, get the latest updates about New Zealand tourism products and further opportunity to grow their sales globally. The

program can be found at the next URL:

www.newzealand.com/travel/trade/training/specialist-programmes/specialist-programmes.cfm