West Coast builds buzz at tourism trade show

Development West Coast (DWC) Tourism and Events Executive Lara Thomas attended the event, joining fellow West Coast exhibitors Richard Benton and Lisa Stevenson from the West Coast Wildlife Centre, as well as national operators with a presence in the region.

Thomas met with 40 international travel trade buyers in pre-scheduled, face-to-face appointments, as well as taking part in evening networking events for sellers and buyers.

She said the show had helped build momentum ahead of TRENZ 2025 — New Zealand’s premier tourism showcase, set to take place in Rotorua next May.

“It’s great to see the West Coast in such high demand — it gives us real confidence heading into the upcoming seasons,” she added.

West Coast Wildlife Centre Director Richard Benton said the event went really well with many inbound operators (IBOs) showing a growing interest in re-visiting West Coast itineraries again after recent disruptions.

Andrew Schwass from Kiwi Journeys said it was valuable having DWC at the show, noting few other regional tourism organisations attended.

“Feedback from sellers was that they valued this event more than TRENZ,” he said, adding there was strong interest in products like the West Coast Wilderness Trail and Kawatiri Coastal Trail.