New Zealand Provides Year-round Memorable Experiences For Indian Tourists.

Conversations with partners in trade and research reveal that more Indian travellers are interested in culture and outdoor activities, and campervans go beyond traditional adventure tourism and Queenstown.

Tourism New Zealand is actively working to position New Zealand as a yearly destination for Indian tourists, not in the peak seasons, as Rene de Monchy, the Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand, said.

For the first time, he is visiting the country as CEO and employee of NTZ. He has visited India three or four times before. The main reason for his visit is Kiwi Link, a trade event he currently hosts. This event depicts the presence of 41 New Zealand authorities for the first time since 2019. Trade relies on everyone, as 85% of the bookings are made through this channel. It is the first opportunity since COVID-19 to reconnect in person with the same faces and establish new contacts. He said he was discussing new packages and products with the trade fraternity, thus making this a very prominent trade mission for us.

The tagline, 100% Pure New Zealand, remains unchanged, and the campaign, launched in 1999, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month. In August 2022, we introduced a new campaign called 'If You Seek.' This campaign is designed to attract adventurous explorers who are seeking to discover New Zealand and enjoy its diverse offerings, thereby contributing to our goal of making New Zealand a year-round destination for Indian tourists.

Having been associated with the organization for the last eight years, Rene de Monchy has a deep understanding of the Indian market. After visiting India for five years, he found that the tourism industry remains vibrant despite the pandemic. Numerous trade partners have expressed how strongly the sector has returned. The fantastic opportunities the market provides, such as the growing interest in culture, outdoor activities, and campervans, are encouraging. In their research, Rene de Monchy and his trade partners' conversations revealed that Indians are growing to show interest beyond adventure tourism and Queenstown. Instead, they express interest in culture, outdoor activities, campervans, etc.

India has been the strongest-performing market, with 87,000 annual visitors returning to New Zealand. The VFR and Holiday arrivals segments contributed prominently to surpassing 2019 numbers. Rene De Monchy is very optimistic about the market. One of the critical obstacles or the tourism sector in New Zealand is its heavy dependence on peak season. Between December and February, 40% of the tourism sector's value is generated during these three months. That presents a challenge for many reasons but offers a significant chance to change or enhance travel patterns. It is making New Zealand a year-round destination. Expanding beyond peak season, which spans from March to November, provides an excellent chance to educate Indian travellers about New Zealand's diverse experiences yearly. He said that the main aim is to highlight Indian tourists with an array of activities in New Zealand that are enjoyed year-round. Whether it is whale watching, adventure tourism, hiking, experiencing Maori culture or visiting wellness spas, these opportunities are accessible daily in New Zealand. So the country can provide travellers with a memorable year-round experience. There is a prominent chance to change this perspective by giving itineraries for those seeking relief from the summer heat or visiting during optimal whale-watching seasons, such as June and July, when humpback whales migrate. We focus on promoting year-round appeal rather than just emphasizing the summer months. Indeed, before COVID, he vividly recalled the data of the traffic from New Zealand to India, which surpassed that from India to New Zealand primarily due to the sizeable diaspora. This change is beneficial because of the inherent relationship between the two nations. The natural traffic of visiting friends and relatives supports airlines and other sectors. The primary focus is on holiday arrivals rather than VFR traffic as a business plan. The close connections between the two countries facilitate more accessible travel due to their strong people-to-people ties.

In 2023, New Zealand welcomed 84,315 tourists and around 21,000 holiday arrivals. This shows a revival recovery of around 125.9% and a holiday recovery of 70% compared to 2019. We have done so in the past but not since Covid. However, it is an avenue that we are considering for the future. Cricket is a passion point following India's recent victory in the T20 World Cup. He is in touch with New Zealand Cricket and exploring the possibility of torus between both countries, which is always exciting. This is certainly an area we are keen to investigate further.

There are dedicated events team that focuses on organizing conferences and incentive travel. We see this as a valuable complement to leisure travel, as it provides a different kind of experience for visitors. In the following year, we will have three convention centres in New Zealand: Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, which will significantly enhance our conference capabilities. It has also been encouraging to observe sustained interest in incentive travel from India, particularly from those who prefer to travel outside the summer months.


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