Tourism New Zealand Promises an Unmatched Travel Experience

TOTAL VISITOR arrivals from India to New Zealand have doubled (from 33,000 to 66,000) in the past four years with more Indians visiting the country than ever before.

In recognition of this incredible growth and increased interest in the Indian market from New Zealand tourism operators, Tourism New Zealand has expanded its annual travel trade event, Kiwi Link India, this year.

“It is a platform for Indian travel agents, product managers and planners to interact with New Zealand operators and understand the new developments and market insights in the tourism sector,” said Steven Dixon, Regional Manager, South and South-East Asia, Tourism New Zealand on his recent trip to India.

India is a priority market for Tourism New Zealand and 2018 has been a fantastic year with more Indians visiting the country than ever before. For the year ending May 2018, total arrivals from India were up by 20.7 per cent (66,320 arrivals), while holiday arrivals increased by 18.8 per cent (31,280). In the same period (year ending May 2018) 75,420 New Zealanders visited India – an increase of 12.1 per cent.

India is an important market for Tourism New Zealand and Dixon highlighted some of his recent marketing initiatives lined up for the year. “The recent launch of the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign has taken shape in new video content launched in India and is rolling out globally. The new videos highlight our unique point of difference that is our people and culture, and feature New Zealanders welcoming, guiding and sharing their home with international visitors,” he added.

In addition to this, NZ has entered into partnerships with Singapore Airlines/Air New Zealand, Thai Airways, and Malaysia Airlines to showcase the range of one-stop flight options available to Indian travellers. It also includes a focus on the 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Programme, in-market trade training, and hosting Tourism New Zealand led events, such as Kiwi Link India that helps connect the New Zealand industry with the Indian travel trade.

As per the growth expectations from India, Dixon pointed out that, “It has been incredibly strong as an increasing number of Indians are aware of New Zealand’s stunning landscapes, amazing adventure activities, world-class food and wine and Maori culture. We believe that we will continue to see double-digit arrival growth in 2018 and future.”

The MICE sector in India is poised for growth and New Zealand offers a once in a lifetime experience for incentive travellers. With Indian companies increasingly looking at overseas incentive and team-building destinations, the country boasts of an array of activities and experiences that can be customized to fit every travel checklist.

One travel trend that Dixon has observed is that visitors to New Zealand are becoming increasingly interested in interacting with NZ people and culture. “They still want to tick off the iconic tourism experiences but they also desire more local and very authentic experiences - whether that be visiting a farmer’s market, taking part in a local event or even just trying street food and local delicacies.”