1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: A conglomerate, you could save fifteen torourism organizations. They're hoping 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:06,960 Speaker 1: to attract more overseas visitors to the North Island of 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 1: New Zealand. So when you get all your foreigners coming 4 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: in at Auckland Airport, they want to steal them and 5 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: keep them in the north Land. Tarnia Bird's head of 6 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 1: destination at north and inc with me this morning, Twanna, 7 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: good morning, good morning. You want to steal them all 8 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: and keep them for yourself? 9 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 2: Oh why not? We need more international visitors? Why not? 10 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: Yes? So where do they normally go? Because it depends 11 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: on who they are, right, but generally speaking, they come 12 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: into Auckland, they go to Hobbiton, they go to they 13 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: jump on a plane down to Queenstown and then they're out. 14 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: Is that about fear, Yeah, you've. 15 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 2: Probably answered the golden roots question. So where do the 16 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 2: majority of international visitors go? We do have them dispersed 17 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 2: throughout the country, but when it comes to a region 18 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 2: like ours, the only region north of Auckland, of course 19 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 2: they have to make a very intentional decision to turn 20 00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 2: the other direction and add that into their trips. So 21 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:04,039 Speaker 2: for us we only get around twenty to thirty percent 22 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 2: of our visitation is international. The rest is domestic, so 23 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 2: hence the need to all work together to make sure 24 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 2: that those international visitors are better dispersed throughout the country, 25 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 2: throughout the island, and also to make sure that we 26 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 2: get more because everyone needs a few more visitors. 27 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: I was having a beer at the Duke of Marlborough 28 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: a couple of weeks ago, which I seem to do 29 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,559 Speaker 1: a lot these days, and were speaking to the owner. 30 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 1: He said, actually, he's had one of his best summers 31 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: ever because we've had a lot more American tourists and 32 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: Americans are more inclined to go up to Northland than say, 33 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: you're Chinese visitors. 34 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, he's absolutely correct. A bear at the Duke 35 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 2: is always a good idea as well, so we support that. 36 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 2: And this new collective of organizations working together will target Australia, 37 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 2: America and primarily China. Those are the first three markets 38 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 2: that will target. So yes, the American visitors are really 39 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 2: important visitors. They do come, they do come to spend 40 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 2: as well, and they do come to see and do 41 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 2: so they're a really good visitor, especially for Northlands. So 42 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 2: this summer we have seen a little bit of an 43 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 2: uptick of international visitors. We're heading back towards you know, 44 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 2: pre twenty twenty numbers and seeing some strength come through 45 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 2: from America. So that's really good news for us and 46 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 2: we're happy to keep growing that. 47 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,239 Speaker 1: So what are you actually going to do to get 48 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: them to where you want them to go? 49 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:33,399 Speaker 2: So the idea behind this new MoU that was signed yesterday. 50 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 2: The MoU is between all North Island regional tourism organizations, 51 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 2: so fifteen organizations and supported by Auckland Airport, Wellington Airport 52 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 2: and Hamilton Airport, so our international airports. The idea is 53 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,799 Speaker 2: that we have more direct to consumer, more trade activity 54 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 2: happening offshore and in these markets to convince and to 55 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 2: change those booking patterns and to convince people that North 56 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 2: Island is the place to come. So it's really about 57 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 2: investing ourselves in activity offshore. We'll go along with Tourism 58 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 2: New Zealand's events as well, and Tourism New Zealand do 59 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 2: support this collective initiative. So it's about North Island coming 60 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 2: together and going together to market and it will just 61 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: be a stronger proposition with us all there together. 62 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 1: Interesting, Tanya, appreciate your time this morning Tanya Burt, Northland 63 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,119 Speaker 1: Ink head of destination, but part of this group from 64 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: the North Island trying to get desperate to get the 65 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: tourists to stay here, raight. I mean it'd be nice 66 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: if they also went to the South Island, but if 67 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: they can stay longer in the North and that's obviously 68 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 1: the goal for them. 69 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 2: For more from early edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live 70 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 2: to news Talks it'd be from five am weekdays, or 71 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 2: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.