Inbound operators at the Tourism Export Council (TECNZ) Conference have been advised to make sure their terms and conditions are ‘rock solid’ and then be prepared to be firm when clients request a refund they are not entitled to.

Wendy van Lieshout, of Active Adventures and Austin Adventures, says the biggest challenge right now is fickle customers. ‘They are all over the place, there’s no pattern.’

Active Adventures reports a shift in American clients’ eagerness to travel; one that is likely to be observed among the New Zealand market also. The company says clients are turning their nervousness into readiness to travel. In June, Active Adventures had its largest sales month in its 25-year history.

‘We are seeing a new type of client as we approach a post-Covid-19 era – one who is eager to travel with a company which can ensure its guests are in safe hands and every detail is taken care of. They are also seeking premium and sustainable travel,’ Active Adventures CEO Wendy Van Lieshout says.

The trend towards increasing numbers of people in the 55 plus age group and multigenerational groups travelling has reached the adventure travel sector, particularly with hiking itineraries.

A New Zealand based company that has built a strong reputation in the inbound market is about to make moves in the outbound sector here.

Active Adventures’ new chief executive officer Wendy van Lieshout says working with agency channels in New Zealand is a key focus for the business. She says the company will be offering full marketing support, training, conferences etc just as it

does in the existing inbound business.