3 Jun
NZ Senior Citizens Minister Sees Value of Seniors Tourists; Will NZ Tourism Industry Take Note?
NZ Senior Citizens Minister John Carter has recognized the growing importance of the older market to NZ tourism, but the message does not seem to have been heard by the NZ tourism industry. Carter, in talking about a new SuperGold card reciprocal agreement with Australia, notes that the over 65s are a fast growing population who are travelling more, with over 100,000 Kiwi seniors heading to Australia each year. “70,000 Australian seniors head for our shores each year and spend over $131 million while they are here……With all the travel our citizens do between our two countries, I can see this as a great opportunity to grow seniors tourism and build on the ANZAC spirit.”
The seniors market seems to be largely neglected in New Zealand. Currently, Tourism New Zealand (TNZ), which is NZ’s official overseas marketer is running a global – including in Australia – youth campaign called There’s Too Much To Miss with the objective of driving as many 18-29 year olds to the TNZ site as possible (IT 827). Another current marketing effort is the 100% PureYou campaign, which in the Australian market shows young women jetboating, a man of about 35 with his young children, and a young women horse riding. Not a single grey hair in sight. The snapshot of this campaign in other markets also does not show anyone with grey hair – except for a guide. In addition, there is only one older couple in the What do You Say UK campaign, the remaining dozens of interviewees/models all look younger than 45.
According to Travel Today, TNZ has been forced recently to rethink its international marketing as the organisation had been “too carried away” with pushing an adrenalin theme. Kevin Bowler told delegates at the Australian Tourism Exchange in early April that the organisation altered its marketing strategies midway through last year after research found interest in the destination was not converting as well as hoped. “We probably got a little bit carried away with adrenalin and how exciting everything was. As a result Tourism NZ has looked to promote more “relaxation and rejuvenation” product as it looks to secure more of what Bowler termed the “active considerers”. This is a step in the right direction as a NZ Ministry of Tourism report released over a year ago finally recognized leading edge Baby Boomers as NZ’s largest domestic market segment. The Domestic Market Segmentation report notes that this segment is asset rich, money is less of a barrier to travel than with other segments, and holidays are very important to them. Also over a year ago – at the 2010 Australian Tourism Exchange – Michael Londregan, a California-based travel agent, who oversees Qantas’s holiday arm in the US and Canada, said at the Australian Tourism Exchange trade fair in Adelaide that Baby Boomers were the key market returning to international travel (ATNZ). On top of that, NZ Ministry of Tourism data shows that the over 45s comprise around 45% of our international visitors. There is nothing wrong with NZ appealing to a young market, but lets also go after those with grey hair and money.
