Like many people in tourism, we've been attending trade shows (as buyers or sellers) for a number of years. We've put up with long flights, extortionate costs, rigid formats, segregation of buyers, arrogance, and of course empty promises.
This year, we decided to take some of our favourite contacts, culled from our hugely expensive trade show and overseas visit contact list, and turn them from passive responders to specific New Zealand enquiries into passionate advocates of the country to anyone looking for a special destination.
This was a huge success.
Over 10 days, four excellent agents from Russia and the Ukraine came and experienced New Zealand. They experienced our version of New Zealand. A version which has won us international accolades. And they came away loving the place. It took two days for them to realise this place was truly different. No amount of trade shows can deliver that. Especially trade shows where our budgets are dwarfed by others and everyone is claiming "the nicest country" with "the best accommodation" and "experiences" of every sort at every step of the way. Never mind that others deliver less well than us - they win if they attract the client in the beginning.
But, back to our agents - they also experienced an itinerary from a client's perspective, delivered with our usual smoothness and flair. You can see the itinerary here. Note that only 70% of what we did is mentioned here as we always like to keep a few surprises up our sleeves. They had a Nga Puhi (Maori) ambush, a degustation by top chef Tobias Wilkinson, the best gin and tonics in the country at Silver Pine, energy bars in the Southern Alps, a gourmet hangi with Tuwharetoa, caught a kahawai in the Bay of Islands, a volcano with Volcanic Safaris, a glimpse of a Sika deer at Poronui, too many Bluff Oysters, and so on....
We are enormously thankful to our suppliers for working with us on this and for making us look good. We are also thankful to the agents for their time and efforts in understanding this country. There are four more influential people at large in the world with New Zealand occupying a special place in their hearts. These are the real advocates we need - not marketers or journalists who no one believes.
3 Jun 09
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