Access Tourism NZ TOURISM FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SENIORS, AND AGEING BOOMERS IN NEW ZEALAND AND WORLDWIDE

Tourism New Zealand’s (TNZ) brand and international public relations general manager Catherine Bates told the recent NZ Backpackers Conference that the youth traveller market continues to be an important sector and one where continued marketing focus will be directed by TNZ (Inside Tourism, Issue 802).  She noted that in the year to June 324,000 travellers aged 15-24 arrived in New Zealand, a three percent increase. During the same period total arrivals increased 3.8 percent. “So while it is a good result it didn’t outperform the general market.” She said marketing activity aimed at the youth market in the UK, Europe and Australia is planned for September to November and again from January to March 2011.  Given that Ministry of Tourism (now the Tourism Strategy Group, Ministry of Economic Development) figures show that visitor arrivals in the older age groups have steadily risen over the last decade (and even that the most important domestic tourists in terms of numbers and spend are in older age groups), Access Tourism New Zealand hopes that a similar marketing push will be aimed at the older market.