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  • ASEAN starts promoting experiential and inventive tourism

    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is promoting six experiential and artistic travel themes to encourage multi-country trips across Southeast Asia. The themed promotions are portion of the implementation of the ASEAN Tourism Business plan 2012-2015.

    The themes include: “The Tastes of Southeast Asia,” “ASEAN, a Tropical Paradise,” “World Class Cities,” “Experience Diverse Traditions,” “Sport and Relaxation,” and “Diverse Contemporary Creativity.”

    An initial list of 20 tour operators offering the subjects in multi-country itineraries are actually at the new look ASEAN travel website, www.aseantourism.travel, the official website of ASEAN Tourism. More trips are being added. Website enhancements are underway.

    “Our new focus is on experiential and inventive tourism that respects environment and culture,” said Mr. Aung Zaw Win, Director General, Ministry of Hotels and Tourism Myanmar, who’s also Chairman of the ASEAN Tourism Product Development Working Group. “An authentic travel experience involves meaningful engagement with the heritage, arts and special character of our ASEAN destinations,” he said.

    Mr Aung Zaw Win urged tour operators in ASEAN countries to develop more multi-country packages highlighting experiential and artistic tourism, which he mentioned was a rising trend among consumers who want ‘authentic’ travel.

    “Today’s travellers are more sophisticated and occupied with unique experiences with immersion in local ways of life,” he said. “Our role is to therefore support multi-country experiential travel within ASEAN member states.”

    To inspire travellers, ASEAN has compiled a sequence of features about themes together with beach, nature and wildlife; cruise tour and rail; culture and heritage; education and volunteering; food and nightlife; fun and leisure; health and spa; outdoor and water sports; and pilgrimage tourism.

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  • Copenhagen Airport passenger numbers up nearly 5% in June

    Passenger numbers at Copenhagen Airport were up 4.8% in June. a complete of two,329,956 passengers travelled through Copenhagen Airport in the course of the first month of summer, the busiest month ever on the airport. The year-to-date increase in passenger numbers is two.2%.

    Many people travel abroad for his or her summer holidays, and that shows at Copenhagen Airport, because the choice of international passengers rose by 4.4% year on year in June.

    “June 2013 was the busiest month ever in Copenhagen Airport’s 88-year history. That emphasises how important that’s for us to have the big, 1,400 square metre expansion of Terminal 2 ready for the summer traffic. The recent, more light and spacious terminal area has 12 new check-in desks and a lot of additional self-service kiosks,” said Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Copenhagen Airport.

    Domestic traffic increased by up to 10.2%. This brought the complete year-on-year increase in passenger numbers to 4.8% in June.

    Year-to-date, passenger numbers at Copenhagen Airport increased by 2.2%, to a complete of eleven.5 million passengers.
    On the head-10 list, the ecu cities Milan and Berlin showed the strongest growth.

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  • Brand USA seals global manage STA Travel

    BRAND USA and STA Travel have signed a worldwide deal worth $4million over the subsequent two years to advertise the us to the youth travel market.

    This is the 1st time that Brand USA, the official tourism marketing organisation for the us of America, has launched into a dedicated youth campaign. The us is already a key destination for STA Travel, the world’s leading student and youth tour operator for 18 to 35 year-olds, but it surely is aiming to increased sales to the us by 30 per cent over the 2 year period.

    The campaign has launched inside the UK, Northern and Central Europe, Asia, Australasia and South Africa, with a contest for 3 winners to every win a road trip to america, housed at www.statravel.co.uk/usa-destination-guide.htm. The winners might be joined by a pro film crew to be able to gain exciting and experiential footage that may be placed online. The purpose is to get under the outside of America and seek for what makes the united states a special destination to the youth traveler in an effort to discover this land like never before.

    The campaign will largely be driven online across quite a few social media and digital platforms, across college campus activity and throughout STA Travel global retail stores.

    STA Travel chief executive John Constable said: “We are delighted to be working at the side of Brand USA in this ambitious campaign. We’ve seen the recognition and insist for the united states grow exponentially during the last five years and notice this as a chance to carve out a novel proposition about USA to the youth audience.

    “Brand USA couldn’t have come at a smarter time; america has needed a consolidated marketing approach for it slow and we’re very eager about working together to advertise an extremely special landscape.”

    Brand USA chief executive Chris Thompson said: “We are excited to be working with STA Travel on our inaugural Brand USA youth campaign. The youth market is a crucial target for the us as a travel destination; those travellers who visit us now will in future become our repeat visitors, returning to the united states year after year. We work flat out with our Partners to make sure Brand USA reaches a large and various audience and we are hoping that through this partnership the youth market will enjoy discovering this land, like never before.”

    Brand USA is the general public-private partnership answerable for promoting america as a premier travel destination and communicating U.S. entry/exit policies and procedures. Established by the Travel Promotion Act in 2010, the organisation’s mission is to extend international visitation to the us while working in partnership with the travel industry to maximize the commercial and social benefits of travel. These benefits include creating jobs necessary to the economy and fostering understanding between people and cultures. For industry or partner information regarding Brand USA, visit www.TheBrandUSA.com. For info about travel to and across the U.s., please visit Brand USA’s consumer website at www.DiscoverAmerica.com.

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  • New Zealand Open returns to Queenstown

    When the hot Zealand Open returns to Queenstown in early 2014, the year-round South Island resort will play host to the largest golfing event hosted in New Zealand for decades.

    The tournament, a tier one event at the PGA Tour of Australasia, could be held from 27 February to two March at Queenstown’s The Hills Golf Course and Millbrook Resort. It is going to include a singular pro-am format played concurrently with the pro tournament following the rules established for the 2013 NZPGA Championship.

    The purse for the development would be not less than NZD$850,000 (this figure shall be finalised once current stakeholder negotiations were concluded).
    The Southern Lakes region will provide the ideal backdrop for this high profile event, offering visitors world-class facilities, multi award-winning courses, spectacular lake and alpine scenery, and a various range of golfing and non-golfing activity options.

    Iconic golf tournament
    A return to Queenstown is the results of New Zealand Golf (NZ Golf) the PGA of recent Zealand (NZPGA) and Michael Hill Tournaments Limited (MHTL) coming to an agreement at the future structure of major men’s golf tournaments in New Zealand.

    The parties have agreed to pool resources with the purpose of constructing one truly iconic golf tournament.

    Under the agreement, NZ Golf has licenced MHTL to organise and take full responsibility for the recent Zealand Open for an initial period of 3 years.
    In addition, the parties have agreed to continue to stage an annual NZPGA Championship, initially on a smaller scale.

    Paul Fyfe, New Zealand Golf chairman, says here is a tremendous moment for brand spanking new Zealand’s premier golf tournament.

    “The New Zealand Open has a rich and assorted 106-year legacy and we’re taken with the opportunity of the development to flourish in Queenstown,” said Fyfe. “We believe that this will likely be a worldwide first for a countrywide Open Championship to include a professional-am format and it’ll be a thrilling new era for the hot Zealand Open.”

    While the recent format means moving the development from Clearwater Golf Resort, Christchurch, which was home to the past two New Zealand Opens, Fyfe noted that “Christchurch remains a marvelous place to host golf events and we glance forward to working alongside the town to deliver the brand new Zealand Women’s Open and other events in Christchurch for years yet to come.”

    Landmark agreement
    John Hart, the Tournament Chairman on behalf of MHTL, said this was a landmark agreement by all parties involved.

    “We are thrilled that New Zealand Golf and the NZPGA have taken a ‘whole of golf’ approach and feature recognised that New Zealanders can be well served by having one premier golf tournament that may compete on a global scale,” said Hart.

    “Specifically, we acknowledge the NZPGA for his or her foresight in supporting the advance of this Pro-Am event over the last two years, and for accepting that this transfer to the brand new Zealand Open is for the betterment of the sport and the supply of pathways for elite players in New Zealand.”

    Tournament Host Sir Michael Hill – owner of The Hills Golf Club which held the NZ Open in 2007, 2008 and 2010 – says Queenstown has “the ingredients to develop a legendary tournament”.

    Joining The Hills as a co-host for the 2014 New Zealand Open is the Millbrook Resort. Millbrook owner Mr Ishii said: “We are very proud to co-host the brand new Zealand Open and await welcoming visitors from across New Zealand and overseas to monitor some great golfers play at Millbrook.”

    Milestone partnership
    The new tournament format should be played across two courses with a minimum field of 132 professional golfers playing alongside 132 amateur golfers.
    Concurrent to the brand new Zealand Open Championship, a 72-hole strokeplay event, each professional could be paired with an amateur playing two rounds, one at each course, in a best ball format.

    Following the second one round, a qualified and pro-am cut will see the ultimate two rounds played on the Hills.

    The success of the tournament structure on the Hills over the last two years has caused the signing of a milestone partnership agreement between MHTL and the Japanese Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).

    “The partnership agreement with the JGTO signed following a trip to Japan was a main breakthrough within the internationalisation of the development and towards our vision to create the pre-eminent tournament experience within the Asia Pacific region,” John Hart said.

    “The Japan Tour is among the most lucrative and revered professional tours on this planet and we glance forward to welcoming 15 leading JGTO players to play inside the 2014 NZ Open. We’re delighted that the recent Zealand Open turns into only the third international tournament outside of Japan to have an association with the JGTO.”

    The Japanese golfers will join leading professional golfers from New Zealand, Australia and Asia in Queenstown.

    New Zealand’s premier world ranked player Michael Hendry, who’s a two-time NZPGA Champion on the Hills, is worked up in regards to the prospect of contending the NZ Open on the Hills and Millbrook.

    “Queenstown is a smart venue for pro golf and the players love coming here,” said the 33-year-old from North Harbour, Auckland.

    Growing tournament
    Financially the tournament continues to grow with New Zealand’s Major Events Development Fund indicating they’ll increase their commitment to NZD$900,000 for the 2014 event.

    The existing family of major sponsors for the NZPGA Championship has been retained, and include the Hilton Hotel Queenstown, Michael Hill, Milford Track’s Guided Walks, Rebel Sport, Sky City and Westpac.

    They at the moment are joined by new sponsor and long-time supporter of golf in New Zealand, BMW, which have been the naming rights sponsor for the former two New Zealand Opens on the Clearwater Golf Club in Christchurch.

    Hart said that the continuing support of the key Events Development Fund, Government and the family of sponsors was crucial to the sustainability of this event.
    Festival of golf

    With one or more public initiatives planned off and on the golf course the development is decided to bring a festival of golf to Queenstown.

    “This is tremendous news both for our local people and in addition for golfers and visitors who may have the chance to look at and play top notch golf in a single of probably the most stunning landscapes on earth,” said Queenstown Mayor Vanessa Van Uden.

    “I don’t have any doubt that the communities of the Queenstown Lakes District will join with me in celebrating the return of the recent Zealand Open to Queenstown’s event calendar.”

    Tournament organisers are approaching professional and celebrity players to take part inside the New Zealand Open with further announcements to be made toward the development.

    For past events celebrities playing on the Hills have included Sir Ian Botham, Hollywood actor Don Cheadle, World No.1 Lydia Ko and a great number of sporting icons from Australia, New Zealand and England.

    The scheduling change to February 2014 suggests that no New Zealand Open can be held within the 2013 calendar year. There were three occasions of this within the history of the NZ Open (1990, 1999 and 2008) and all were because of the rescheduling of the tournament dates.

    Plans are underway for the NZPGA Championship in 2014 and there’ll be an extra announcement concerning the dates and the venue of that event inside the coming months.

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  • TNZ launches first mobile app ‘Essential New Zealand’

    Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) has made a major addition to its suite of digital marketing channels, with the launch of its first mobile app – ‘Essential New Zealand’.

    The free app offers advice to travellers at the go in New Zealand, without the necessity for a WiFi connection, encouraging them to do and spot more while within the country.

    Catherine Bates, General Manager Brand and International PR, says; “Essential New Zealand aims to make it easier for visitors to connect to tourism experiences while travelling during the country – notwithstanding where they’re or what they’re doing.

    “People on a ship in the course of Milford Sound or pausing at one of many huts at the Tongariro crossing, can use this app to plot their next activity, in preference to wait until they’re back at a hotel or café.

    “In turn, the app works to persuade their travel decisions by encouraging them to travel more widely, visiting more regions and collaborating in additional paid visitor activities.”

    Designed using robust user research, the free to download app works in tandem with TNZ’s mobile optimised travel website, newzealand.com, to enrich the visitor experience and improve access to information that meets traveller’s needs.

    TNZ’s Visitor Experience Monitor showed that the usage of mobile devices while in New Zealand had increased significantly between 2011 and 2012, with travellers using an iPad or laptop up 44 per cent, and use of a smartphone up 28 per cent.

    “Travellers are actually engaging with digital media previous to and within the travel process. Mobile is an increasingly important channel for operators, with a 1,000 per cent increase in mobile referrals from newzealand.com earlier year. The app is a vital step to support this increased use, ensuring information is instantly available to travellers across a considerable number of digital channels.

    “As a result, the app features over 1,150 activities and travel experiences, highlighting the enduring activities in each region which users can save into their ‘Your Trip’, a longtime tool on newzealand.com.

    “By delivering information users are seeking for while they’re in New Zealand, the app will generate highly qualified referrals to tourism businesses, for operators to transform into bookings.

    The app also includes full contact details and detailed map locations for each activity and regional i-SITE centres, meaning face-to-face support and advice are available easily if required. When accessed online, users are easily connected with comprehensive accommodation and transport booking information on newzealand.com.

    For operators, the app will provide a brand new channel to extend the worth in their free listing on newzealand.com, so that it will remain the important thing planning tool for travellers, connecting them with travel sellers to assist operators grow their tourism business.

    In the past year TNZ has received record traffic to newzealand.com, attracting greater than 13.8 million visits. The amount of traffic from mobile devices increased a staggering 250 per cent.

    And the app is decided to just recuperate for operators and users alike – with new features already planned in future versions.

    “We have already got new features in development for future versions of the app.  Essential New Zealand v1.1 will bring all of the content saved in a consumer’s ‘Your Trip’ on newzealand.com into the app, which will access a much broader range of authoritative travel information once they must .

    TNZ worked in collaboration with Whybin\TBWA’s Digital Arts Network (DAN) to investigate and design the app as portion of its global agency agreement.

    “Our long-standing relationship and the high degree of trust between DAN and TNZ has enabled the curation of Essential New Zealand; a single-minded app which has user research at its core,” says Che Tamahori, Managing Director of DAN.

    “It’s a crucial addition to TNZ’s digital communication channels and we’re delighted with the overall product. User testing has suggested that visitors to New Zealand will adore it too!”