RTO

Gilliland said the approach resulted in “pathetically small” support for already-strong domestic tourism-centric regions.

New Zealanders hitting the road in the July school holidays delivered a huge spending boost for many smaller regions across the country, while key destinations including Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown continued to suffer from a lack of international spend.

Destination Queenstown has cut back its international markets team in the face of Covid-19 uncertainty.

With no international visitors, the value of NZ’s biggest city has grown to regional tourism.

The Great New Zealand Bingo Bonanza is calling on regional tourism organisations to join the initiative by submitting two free bingo activity cards in preparation for September’s launch.

Tourism Central Otago general manager Dylan Rushbrook on the power to be found in New Zealand’s smaller RTOs.

While the decision was disappointing for the region, Adcock says other Government funding will help the district’s tourism.

Enterprise Dunedin’s city marketing manager says now is the time to reset the region’s offering.

Lake Wanaka Tourism has appointed Tim Barke as acting general manager.

His departure leaves both RTOs at the hard-hit district without permanent leaders.

Now is the time to innovate, research and develop, says Hamilton & Waikato Tourism’s CEO.

While some are plugging budget gaps, others are expanding their workloads.

The average daily count of domestic visitors over the winter holiday period in Queenstown was 22,300, up from 15,570 last year.

Five agencies receive the maximum $1m each to support their destination marketing and management work.

Struggling operators are remaining open for the benefit of the wider Fiordland business community, despite it not making economic sense to do so, says Destination Fiordland manager Madeleine Peacock.

The Waikato region had the second highest level of domestic visitors during the July school holidays across New Zealand, according to a new Data Ventures report.

In a first for Queenstown Lakes, the district’s two RTOs have teamed up to launch a local campaign.

Great South and Destination Fiordland have launched the third phase of their Rediscover Southland campaign with a range of deals to encourage Southland visitation.

The agency’s new CEO John Allen outlines its visitor work and teases “something special” for the region’s operators. 

“There has been a lot of profile on Queenstown and Fiordland but Franz Josef and Fox are in the exactly same boat as those two places and need as much support as we can get them.”

The RTO chief executive on the region’s resilience, reacting to disaster and moving forward.

Job losses are coming after a “significantly larger” than expected funding cut for the RTO.

The campaign would initially target potential visitors in the Northland and Auckland market

New Zealand’s cruise standstill due to Covid-19 will leave “a big hole” for some operators in the Gisborne region, says general manager tourism at Activate Tairāwhiti Adam Hughes.

The council will take $445k from its tourism promotion budget, meaning less money for the region’s destination marketing bodies.

Lake Wanaka Tourism and Ignite Wanaka are promoting a short form video mini-series about local Covid-19 lockdown stories.

ChristchurchNZ general manager destination and attraction Loren Heaphy explains just how a new destination proposition has emerged and how a new regional collective will be launched.

Taupō District Council will take over the management of two i-SITES from Destination Great Lake Taupō from 1 July.

“This funding was completely unexpected. It was not talked about or anticipated at all that it would come to the RTOs.”

The agency is recruiting to build a domestic team along the same lines as its overseas offices.

Great South general manager of tourism and events Bobbi Brown on the tourism sector restart and the important role locals will play in accelerating its success.

Nelson Tasman locals strongly support the visitor sector and have a keen desire to explore the region themselves, a recent survey from Nelson Regional Development Agency shows.

The Government’s $20.2m cash injection for New Zealand’s regional tourism organisations will play a pivotal role in the sector’s rebuild.

The Government
’s $20.2m package to support regional tourism organisations through the Covid-19 recovery acknowledges the significant role they play in the sector, says Regional Tourism New Zealand.

Regional tourism organisations under budget pressure have welcomed the new $20.2m funding from the Government but it came too late to save the job cuts announced in the past week.

Hawke’s Bay Tourism chief executive Hamish Saxton on the success of New Zealand’s first long weekend post-lockdown, and the trickle-down effect of the visitor economy into the country’s other sectors.

Experience Mid Canterbury is shutting its doors with the loss of all jobs and the closure of another i-SITE.

Aoraki Tourism has become the latest RTO to be absorbed by an economic development agency with Timaru District Council providing $350,000 funding.

“i-SITEs nationwide will be making some tough calls in the coming months,” says the RTO’s GM, Dylan Rushbrook.

Chartered aircraft may be used to help international students return to Wellington.

Whanganui & Partners’ latest tourism campaign aims to boost visitors and spending in the region.

A lack of funding at smaller RTOs could mean some regions will not be able to fully participate in the drive to boost domestic demand, says Regional Tourism New Zealand executive officer Charlie Ives.

The GM of regional development, destination and attraction on what ‘reimagining’ means for the tourism sector.

Smaller regional tourism organisations are at risk of being lost because their current destination funding model is inadequate, says Tourism Waitaki general manager Margaret Munro.

Enterprise Dunedin has launched a new domestic marketing campaign, Dunedin, a pretty good Plan D.

Tourism West Coast has launched its ‘Big Coast – Big Deals’ campaign targeting South Island markets.

The local drive market will play a significant role in the recovery of Waikato’s tourism sector, says the chief executive at Hamilton & Waikato Tourism.

Hawke’s Bay Tourism has launched its domestic marketing campaign, which aims to “dominate” the Wellington market and drive visitation to the region to revive the local visitor economy.

Lake Wanaka Tourism has gone live with its winter ski campaign, The Mountains are Waiting, leading with a campaign video.

Destination Rotorua chief executive Michelle Templer on the prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s visit this week and how the city is extending a warm haere mai to New Zealanders.