Scott Mehrtens, chair of the Tourism Export Council (TEC) NZ, emphasised at the association’s event in Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre that he hoped the association would now have its sights entirely on growth, investment and innovation.
‘I also hope we are talking about how New Zealand tourism is setting its sights much higher than just getting back to where it once was, because the best years of New Zealand tourism are not behind us, they are still ahead of us.’
Mehrtens addressed the current Middle East situation and the cost pressures it is putting on the wider industry but says it is important not to be too focused on the challenges the industry faces right now when considering the future.
‘Our industry has faced adversity before. Every challenge has strengthened us but like those other challenges this too shall pass. It is important not to allow these short-term pressures to destroy long-term opportunities.’
He says one of the things that gives him confidence in the industry is YoungTEC, which over the last year grew by 30% to reach 285 members.
He says the inbound industry needs to make sure New Zealand remains front of mind, priced appropriately, easy to sell and worth the journey.
‘Booking patterns, technology and customer expectations are all changing the way visitors discover, plan, book – and expectations are changing. The way visitors plan, book and experience travel is not the same as it was even five years ago. That has major implica-tions for ITOs (inbound tour operators), accommodation providers, attractions, transport operators, RTOs (regional tourism organisations), and every other part of the tourism supply chain.
‘We need to understand where demand is coming from, who is influencing travel decisions, how product is being sold and how we remain competitive in both FIT and group travel. Innovation is not just technology – it’s how we think, collaborate, price, manage seasonality, remove friction, create value and design experiences visitors remember long after they return home.’
