RTO

The imminent departure of DQ’s chief executive opens up one of the top jobs in the New Zealand tourism sector.

Tourism Central Otago has partnered with Google New Zealand to capture 360-degree imagery of local Central Otago experiences.

Tourism NZ chair Jamie Tuuta has been appointed as chair of the board for Venture Taranaki Trust.

Destination Queenstown has found a new manager for its western market trade channels appointing Kate Baxter from Heli Glenorchy.

Around 30 tourism operators and 24 inbound tour operators attended this year’s Top of the South trade event which was held outside Auckland for the first time.

Six of the country’s regional tourism organisations have been recognised for their achievements.

Twenty-six inbound tour wholesalers and travel agents from across NZ and Australia have attended Destination Great Lake Taupō’s three-day mega famil.

Hurunui Tourism has become the country’s 31st regional tourism organisation.

The Hawke’s Bay has lured the former Tourism Dunedin boss back from Toronto.

Waikato River operators have been affected by last week’s wastewater spill but all Lake Taupō tours are on as usual, says Destination Great Lake Taupõ.

Destination Queenstown has committed to improving its sustainability by implementing an internal policy and handbook.

The plan will set out a road map for future industry investment across the south.

The RTO wants to see visitor expenditure reach $378m in 2027.

Representatives from Tourism Export Council, Conventions and Incentives New Zealand, Auckland Airport and Lake Wanaka Tourism are set to address the Central Otago tourism industry next week.

Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency (WREDA) says it will now use ‘WellingtonNZ – making the Wellington region wildly famous’ as its standard organisational brand.

Visitor spend in the Hamilton & Waikato region topped the $1.5bn mark in the last calendar year, with the region also securing a 10.4% market share of the lucrative conventions, meetings and business events market, according to an update to Hamilton City Council.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development has launched a new photography competition which it hopes will highlight the city as a must-visit the destination to travellers around the world.

Destination Queenstown’s convention team is bringing travel content conference, The Travel Bootcamp, to the destination for the first time this spring hosting travel content creators, bloggers and social media tastemakers from 4-6 October 2019.

New Zealand’s newest Regional Tourism Organisation, Aoraki Tourism, is being taken back in-house by Timaru District Council as it drives forward the development of a new visitor strategy.

DQ chair and general manager of Shotover Canyon Swing and Canyon Fox, Matt Hollyer, is leaving both roles.

Northland Inc’s trade marketing manager Karly Bent is leaving the combined EDA/RTO as the agency undergoes a number of staff changes at its tourism team.

Destination Queenstown chief executive Graham Budd is “relieved and pleased” after winning support from members for a proposed funding boost that will add $900,000 to the organisation’s coffers.

Destination Queentown has won the support of its members to seek a 25% funding increase.

Operators also facing a possible bed tax could stymie the RTO’s plan to boost its funding in tomorrow’s vote.

The combined EDA/RTO has appointed its GM of investment and infrastructure, Vaughan Cooper, as acting CEO.

Jane Wilson, the former GM marketing at Tourism Tropical North Queensland, is to lead the Taupō RTO.

Tourism West Coast has been swallowed up by the region’s economic development agency in a move the RTO says provides better funding certainty.

After eight years at the helm, Dundas is leaving to lead Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei’s new tourism venture.

The chief executive of Venture Southland, Paul Casson, is stepping down ahead of the launch of the region’s new regional development agency.

There’s been a breakdown in the relationship between Dunedin’s tourism industry and its marketing body, says a review.

Destination Fiordland has appointed Madeleine Peacock to be its new tourism manager.

The outgoing CEO of Northland Inc urges the government to “fix the blockage” in NZ’s tourism system.

Air New Zealand has partnered with the Bay of Islands Marketing Group and economic growth agency Northland Inc on a campaign to attract visitors to the region beyond the peak summer months.

Tourism Central Otago’s newly established Tourism Advisory Board has been challenged by to find some “quick wins” by the local regional council.

The agency plans to help its regional neighbours develop tourism product and infrastructure.

The tourism industry has been warned against complacency following the latest Mood of the Nation survey that reported in uptick in the number of New Zealanders who agree that tourism is good for the country.

The experienced hands of Sue Sullivan, Mark Frood and Dylan Rushbrook will be shaping the future of tourism in Central Otago after being appointed to the region’s new six strong Tourism Advisory Board.

Reality TV queen Dame Julie Christie has been appointed to Tourism West Coast’s board.

Venture Southland is calling on all Southlanders to have their say as it continues to develop its wider regional destination plan.

Tourism Waitaki has begun talks with staff over the possible ending of eight roles at the regional tourism organisation.

Venture Taranaki has appointed Justine Gilliland to become CEO of the combined EDA/RTO.

Tourism minister advised to consider withholding funding from regions that fail to produce “quality destination development plans”.

Tourism is one of three key industries identified to help lift the prosperity of the region.

Enterprise Dunedin has appointed Sydney-based public relations agency Seven Communications to promote the city in the Australian market.

Stafford Strategy will develop the region’s strategy, which aims to generate $1bn in tourism revenue by 2025.

Hamilton passenger numbers have jumped 11% helping to lift visitor spend to $2.6bn, according to the owner of Hamilton & Waikato Tourism. 

Northland Inc’s general manager of regional promotions and tourism, Paul Davis, has resigned. 

Sorry, you do not have authorisation to view this page! If you would like to view the content on this page you will need to be a Tourism Ticker member. MORE »

TCO has launched its hunt for an advisory board as it seeks to implement a new governance and funding model.

It took two years of planning, lobbying and engagement but Tourism Bay of Plenty got its destination management funding plan over the line.