Five UK agents will join a Journey of Manaakitanga fam trip to New Zealand in November, as part of Tourism New Zealand’s latest marketing campaign.
Based on the concept of ‘manaakitanga’ – the Maori spirit of welcome and hospitality – the campaign features the experiences of two British travel consultants, who have become ‘trade ambassadors’ for the tourist board.
Gold Medal sales consultant Christopher Leary (pictured) and James Martin, reservations consultant at Travel 2, explored New Zealand in October and their trip was filmed to create travel agency training videos.
They were joined on their trip by agents from the US and Germany as part of the travel trade campaign.
Alongside the trade campaign, Tourism New Zealand has launched a global consumer promotion with National Geographic, which features a writer, photographer and illustrator who experienced ‘manaakitanga’ while exploring the country.
For Leary, the fam trip was his second visit to New Zealand, which he has been selling for about five years.
Leary said: “The nine days we had there were fully packed. I saw so many things, from interacting with the Maori people to experiencing the wildlife.
“I now have a broader knowledge of what you can do in New Zealand, and also how easy it is to travel around. I can pass this knowledge on when someone needs a tailor-made tour.”
The tourist board has a ‘manaakitanga’ training hub on its travel trade website, so agents can learn about the welcome, culture and landscapes of New Zealand – and enter the competition to win a place on the fam trip.
Leary commented: “There is something for everyone in New Zealand, from the thrill seekers, to those wanting to relax, from those interested in history and culture, to film and TV fans, and many more.
“Make sure your clients have time to take in as much as possible, and this is definitely a country that is worth numerous visits.”
Marc Mulcahy, Tourism New Zealand’s trade development consultant for the UK and Ireland, said: “We’ve launched this campaign to support the trade in the vital role they play in conveying the New Zealand holiday experience to their clients.
“We felt there was no better way to bring this message of ‘manaakitanga’ to life than to have agents from the UK experience it for themselves, then bring their story back to the UK to pass on to colleagues and peers across the travel industry.”
Tourism New Zealand is working with Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines on the Journey of Manaakitanga fam trip, which will see five travel agents from the UK and five from Germany travel to New Zealand in November 2019.
To enter to win a place, agents should visit the Journey of Manaakitanga section on traveltrade.newzealand.com, watch the videos starring the UK travel trade ambassadors and answer questions about why they should be selected.