West Coast on show in India

Development West Coast’s Destination and Tourism Manager, Andrew Aitken, spent two weeks on the road as part of a trade roadshow spanning seven cities — Jaipur, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Goa and Delhi. The mission included one-on-one trade appointments, frontline training sessions, and participation in Tourism New Zealand’s flagship Kiwilink India event.

Aitken was the sole West Coast-specific representative among more than 50 New Zealand tourism businesses involved. While national operators such as Scenic Hotel, The Helicopter Line, Ngāi Tahu Tourism, Inflight, Entrada, Great Journeys, and Millennium Hotels & Resorts have a presence on the Coast, Aitken said it was vital to have someone dedicated to telling the region’s story.

Over the course of the mission, he met with over 450 travel agents face-to-face, delivering destination training and highlighting the Coast’s unique offerings.

“There was a real appetite to learn more about the West Coast,” Aitken said. “Many agents already include it in itineraries, but often with limited product knowledge or outdated information. We’ve got a huge opportunity to change that.

The West Coast’s glacier heli-hikes, TranzAlpine rail journey, and rainforest landscapes drew strong interest from Indian agents, especially those catering to families, honeymooners, and FIT (free independent traveller) segments.

The sales mission comes as India has been identified as a key growth market for Tourism New Zealand (TNZ). Research from TNZ suggests that on average Indian visitors stay in New Zealand for 11 days – this is longer than other key international markets such as Australia and China. Additionally, 77% of Indian arrivals take place outside of the peak New Zealand holiday season between December to March. A national winter marketing campaign was launched in Mumbai earlier this year, backed by a high-level delegation including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Tourism Minister Louise Upston.

Demand for travel between India and New Zealand has grown by 78 percent since 2015, with 351,000 people travelling between the two countries in 2024.

“The West Coast is getting in early, building strong trade relationships ahead of what’s shaping up to be a major opportunity,” Aitken said. “With a future direct flight between Delhi and Auckland under consideration, we’re working to make the West Coast a must-do on every New Zealand itinerary.”