New Zealand's premier international business-to-business travel and trade event, TRENZ, recently took place in Christchurch, attracting industry professionals from around the world. In the lead up and wake of the event, Development West Coast's (DWC) tourism team has been busy highlighting the region's offerings to travel agents and buyers through familiarisation tours (famils).
Patrick Dault, Destination and Tourism Manager, said approximately 50 agents were taken on famils, showcasing the West Coast.
“70 agents were also hosted during KiwiRail’s activity afternoon which showcased the gateway into the region, which was a super snapshot of our region. That’s around 120 agents that were exposed to the West Coast scenery and it’s messages.”
According to a 2018 study sponsored by Tourism Industry Aotearoa, each TRENZ buyer contributes approximately $35,000 over a year to the regional economies they visited. Predicted future bookings derived from this year's TRENZ-associated famils are projected to generate over $4 million for the West Coast economy.
“Hosting close to 15% of all agents attending TRENZ is a massive win for Te Tai o Poutini,” Dault says. “Our relationship with Christchurch NZ and KiwiRail was very much to thank for that exceptional achievement.”
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