Now is the right time to be spiking the curiosity of the New Zealand market and providing premium options for clients seeking something different, says Karen Fitzgerald, Tourism Australia’s general manager experiences.

‘We speak to the curious. People may have looked further afield in the past but one thing Covid has done is made many of us look differently at our backyards. They realise there are many experiences they hadn’t considered in the past and now they are keen to discover them.’

The state of Oregon is continuing to gain traction with its Why Guides? campaign and is encouraging travel agents to book local, export ready guiding companies when building an itinerary for their clients.

‘If people use a guide they tend to behave and respect the environment, but at the same time they are supporting a small local business,’ says Greg Eckhart, director global sales at Oregon Tourism Commission.

Generating provincial dispersal and encouraging clients to explore the popular cities and then head out further into the regions is a key objective of Destination British Columbia, says Lizzie Doyle, who handles PR and media for the organisation in Australia and New Zealand.

‘Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria are all top of mind for New Zealand travellers. Advisors have some great opportunities to develop bespoke itineraries and get their clients to places in BC that they haven’t considered.