A soft adventure operator in Surfers Paradise says bookings starting to come in from New Zealand will be a real fillip for the Queensland tourism mecca.

Kate Forrester, who co-owns Gold Coast Watersports with husband Kyle Porter, says that though things started slowly, once the bubble opened, 10 bookings come through from New Zealandin one night for the family run business.

Forrester says that while many Kiwis who visit the area are catching up with friends and family they look for activities while they are there. The majority of bookings from New Zealand this week were for para sailing but jet skiing up
from the company’s site past Marina Mirage is also on many to do lists.

Packaging local attractions, activities and transport with clients’ sporting passion has allowed Golf Encounters to stay engaged with customers and add value to a domestic experience.

Director Peter Cox says tours coming up in March and April include a combination of the Tranz Alpine Express from Christchurch with golf in the West Coast. Last November, Golf Encounters hosted a group that combined the sport with the Otago Rail Trail. Bay of Islands, Taupo, Napier and Queenstown are among the other destinations being visited.

The Gold Coast is reminding Kiwis to visit in a new video that encourages families and mates to reunite.

Destination Gold Coast’s new video series rallies Kiwis to take in the scenic views, soak up the sun, pack their jandals (thongs) and a towel with a simple message to its friends from across the ditch: ‘New Zealand, we can’t wait to see you’.

Tourism Tasmania has launched a marketing campaign in New Zealand, inviting Kiwi neighbours to Come Down for Air. New Zealand agents and brokers can expect to see a dedicated trade campaign in the next few weeks.

The impact on the Tasmanian tourism industry from Covid-19 has been significant and the campaign in New Zealand is part of a programme of activity to rebuild visitation to the state and support

Visit Ruapehu has a new marketing campaign this summer. Developed in partnership with Auckland-based agency RUN, ‘The Aroha Is All In The Detail’ focuses on the benefit of slowing down when things always seem to be speeding up.

Aligned with Ruapehu’s vision to create a thriving and sustainable visitor economy for the region that enhances the lives of visitors and residents alike, the campaign highlights heartfelt

Wild Earth Travel is running a five day distillery tour of the South Island via a privately chartered plane.

The Spirit of the South, from 26 to 30 November visits six distilleries and takes clients from Blenheim to the West Coast, across to Wanaka, and then to Nelson before returning to Auckland. Highlights include Elemental Distillers, Reefton Distilling Co, Cardrona Distillery and Dancing Sands.

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The Chatham Islands are a photographers delight with the contrasting  ugged landscapes, according to Innovative Travel groups manager, Lynda Morrison.

‘August was a great time to go, the temperatures were a lot milder than my hometown Christchurch and the weather proved great for taking photos.’

Due to popular demand, MoaTours is opening more departure dates for its all inclusive Molesworth Station, Abel Tasman & Golden Bay small group tour ($3490 pp twin share).

Claudia Moir, a long term resident of Mangawhai and travel broker with NZ Travel Brokers, has launched a new venture to tap into the domestic market.

Mangawhai Adventures has package deals for individual travellers that showcase the best this region has to offer at affordable prices. The packages can be customised and are commissionable for travel agents and brokers.

A Maher Escorted Tours 15-day itinerary covering the lower South Island with a number of special inclusions has resonated well with the domestic market.

Moa Tours has launched a new, all-inclusive nine day itinerary that includes Aoraki / Mt Cook, Milford and Franz Josef.

Switzerland Tourism has released a number of ‘fun facts’ about the country to keep interest levels up amongst agents and their clients.

Innovative Travel has a new series of New Zealand coach tours, targeted at the 45-plus age group, in collaboration with inbound specialist Terra Nova, launching under the Inspired NZ label.   

Innovative Travel managing director, Robyn Galloway, says these new tours have come about literally by neighbourly collaboration and are a positive example of how companies can come together to face new challenges.   

A four-night, five-day relaxed island holiday just a short flight from Auckland mixes local cruising, star gazing, bush walks and more.

'Do Something New, New Zealand' is the tagline of a just released marketing campaign from Tourism New Zealand that encourages domestic tourism. It will continue across the year with the aim of helping drive demand to the tourism sector right across New Zealand.

'Now is the perfect time for Kiwis to make their ‘NZ must do’ bucket list item a reality. We’ve all got things we’ve always wanted to see and do. This campaign shares those moments and gets people

World Journeys has put together a guide with tips for selling the right Machu Picchu experience for clients.

A completely different option for travellers, while still being close to hand, is worth consideration by travel agents and their clients, says Sarah Porter, business development manager – Auckland for Wild Earth Travel.

Clients might not be able to travel to the Emerald Isle at the moment, but Tourism Ireland is reminding people they can still connect with its landscapes and culture through literature.

The Travel Concierge Sri Lanka (TTC) has released its autumn package, which is ideal for clients looking to sail the south coast of Sri Lanka any time of year.

Nevada’s road trips, state and national parks and small towns all provide opportunities for New Zealand clients to extend their trip (and agents to extend their revenue) beyond Las Vegas, according to the state’s tourism office.

Joanne Motta, from Travel Nevada, says Las Vegas is the third most visited US location from Australasia but she often hears of people who book 10 nights and wonder what to do after enjoying the shows and other nightlife of The Strip. ‘We are telling people to get out and do something different and suggesting the trade sell Nevada beyond Las Vegas.’ She says Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon are state parks that are 45 and 30 minutes’ drive from Las Vegas respectively. They cost less than US$10 for entry, and can be explored by electric bike, dune buggies or foot.

There is also Cathedral Gorge, which is between Las Vegas and Great Basin National Park, one of the least visited national parks and one that offers plenty of hiking opportunities (including the fairly strenuous walk up Wheeler Peak) plus cave systems that can be explored. ‘Nevada is the most mountainous state in the USA but nobody thinks that,’ says Motta. ‘Northern Nevada has heliskiing and glaciers.’ She also recommends a drive along Highway 50 – dubbed the ‘loneliest highway in America’ by USA Today in the 1980s. Towns along the route have a passport programme where people can collect stamps to prove they have been on this road less travelled.

Air New Zealand’s Auckland to New York service from October will give the trade a greater opportunity to sell the USA’s sixth largest (but sometimes overlooked) city.

Travelling the Dochula Pass is one of the major drawcards of a seven-day Highlights of Bhutan tour being offered by Exotic Holidays.

The Travel Concierge Sri Lanka has released a three-night package that enables guests to connect with the indigenous tribes of Sri Lanka.

A vibrant capital, pristine islands, and wild jungle make Cambodia worth exploring further than its famous temple complex, Angkor Wat, agents heard at a Destination Asia event in Auckland last week.

The Travel Concierge Sri Lanka has worked with a local partner to offer motorhome and car hire packages to the New Zealand market.

Exotic Holidays has a 10-day Best of Malaysia Tour priced from $1668 per person twin share.

Active Asia is offering A Hidden Corner of Vietnam, a seven-day itinerary that takes travellers 160km inland from Hanoi to explore UNESCO World Heritage sites and discover the country’s colours, culture and landscape.

Exotic Holidays’ Classic London is a four-day programme ideal for clients who are short on time, giving them the highlights of the city.

Easy access to the 26 beaches of Port Stephens is one of the benefits of the seasonal Auckland-Newcastle flight operating now.

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has released a collection of 100 Experiences, compiled in response to the shift in interest by travellers to experienced-based travel.

The watching and waiting is over for Sri Lankan tourism as Kiwi visitors return with enthusiasm after this year’s Easter terrorism attack.

Monaco daytrippers, most of whom book their excursion once they reach Nice in France, provide a clear opportunity for agents who could be converting these travellers into overnight visitors, according to Alison Roberts-Brown, the regional director of Visit Monaco.

South America Tourism Office’s new 2020 brochure, is a comprehensive guide with personalised itineraries, small group tours and cruises to Latin America.

Explore’s Discovery & Wildlife brochure for 2020 features new tours to El Salvador, Lebanon and the Silk Road.

Hot gets hotter in Vietnam

A six-day wellness package in Thailand is available through Exotic Holidays.

Exploring the Dolomites in Northern Italy on foot is gaining strong bookings and rave reviews, according to A Walker’s World.

New tourism and hospitality operations are popping up in Norfolk Island to cater for the younger demographic that is discovering the destination.

These include activity operators, eateries and shops, says Rose Evans, team leader tourism and economic development. ‘We’ve seen great growth in new businesses that have a younger vibe and are environmentally aware, like eco-store, Prenke.’

A Walker’s World has increased its offerings of walking and biking holidays in Greece as demand creeps up, says director Jill Grant.

Explore Worldwide has new accommodation in Iceland, a private collection of bespoke yurts set in the heart of the Golden Circle.

Tokelau has become the 20th Pacific Island member country of the South Pacific Tourism Organisation.

Viva Expeditions’ operations manager, Tara Sutherland recently completed a 13-day circumnavigation of Spitsbergen, Norway.

A Walker’s World/CYCLING EUROPE has a week long Bike & Barge tour of Northern Burgundy to discover a less known part of this famous wine region.

What started off as a one room base for geologists searching for gold in a nearby island is now Imagination Island Resort.

Adventure World’s expert in group and family travel, Angela Mount has recently returned from safari in Africa with her three children aged 8, 14, 15 and shares her top tips for agents in preparing clients for safari with their kids.

Self-drive is a burgeoning market in Northern Ireland and some of the most spectacular scenery in the land is around the coastal town of Ballycastle.

Julie Gerrard, destination team leader – North America, Asia, Europe from Adventure World New Zealand, enjoyed her recent trip to The Great American West so much, that she got a tattoo to prove it.

Tourism is fast becoming one of the strongest sectors for Slovenia, with the destination lodging another record year last year of 18% growth in international tourism.

‘Rather than thinking about Russia as something you would slot into a European itinerary, why not think about Russia as your main destination and see what is around it?’

Getting New Zealand travellers back to the Big Island and spreading the message about various events and developments on the whole archipelago are among the objectives of two visiting representatives from the Hilton portfolio of hotels and resorts in Hawaii.