International travel agents visit the Coast

New Zealand's premier international business-to-business travel and trade event, TRENZ, recently took place in Wellington, 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 (famil).

The DWC West Coast post-TRENZ famil was attended by travel agents, from the USA, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, and Australia.

The four-day itinerary took them across the region, in Buller, Grey and Westland, showcasing the West Coast’s icons and tourism operators.

DWC destination and tourism manager Patrick Dault said throughout their journey, the agents interacted with 34 West Coast tourism businesses, ranging from accommodation providers to activity operators and experiences.

"Making the most of these high-value agents whilst they are in Aotearoa for TRENZ is vital for the Coast,” Dault said.

“Each of these agents represents a significant connection into a key market, enabling our tourism community to forge a connection that will result in increased visitation.

"But more importantly, in a post-Covid era, it's reconnecting with the world and attracting the right visitor at the right time that counts.

"Familiarisation trips are a fantastic way to showcase our offering but also share our aspirations for what type of visitors we really want.”

On average each agent attending TRENZ brings more than $300k in sales to New Zealand in the year following the event.

“For these agents to form strong bonds with operators is key to a strong coast tourism sector,” Dault added.

See images from their trip: