Business Bulletin : June 2019

Compiled by Steph Kendall

In this bulletin:

• Gin Tourism Set to Rise?
• Qualmark 100% Pure - New Awards
• New Zealand's Great Rides - 10 Years On
• Mood of the Nation
• Business Centre - Online Scams
• Business Support Services - Drone Images Library
• Tourism Site of the Month: Anatoki Salmon

Gin Tourism Set to Rise?

The number of operating distilleries in New Zealand has increased significantly in the last ten years, up from 10 to 100. The best of the country's spirits was celebrated in the very first New Zealand Spirits Awards, hosted by industry bodies, Spirits New Zealand and Distilled Spirits Aotearoa last month. From over 250 entries, prizes were awarded to gin makers and whisky makers.

The growth of distilleries in New Zealand reflects the big trend of gin drinking. In the UK, for example, The Guardian reported annual sales have almost double over the past five years, in 2018 topping £2bn. The UK drinks industry is working hard to create beverages that appeal to the increasing number of non-alcohol drinkers, even those who don't like the taste of gin are being catered for with 'pink' and flavoured gins.

It's an opportune time for New Zealand gin makers, who may see the benefits of gin tourism hit its shores too. Experiences like those at the Denzien Urban Distillery in Wellington, offering tutored tasting and distillery tours and creating small batch gins in front of the customers may delight visiting gin drinkers.

Qualmark 100% Pure - New Awards

Another inaugural award, the Qualmark 100% Pure New Zealand Experience Awards was also launched last month. The Awards recognise excellence in sustainable visitor experiences and were presented at New Zealand's Parliament by the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Kelvin Davis.

The award winners pulled from over 100 entrants represent a variety of New Zealand experiences, each a blend of conventional and traditional practices that support long-term environmental, financial and community sustainability. The award recognises the recipients' commitment to enriching their communities and natural environment for future generations.

The 2019 Qualmark 100% Pure Experience Award recipients are: Camp Glenorchy - Eco Retreat (Queenstown), Franz Josef Glacier Guides - Glacier Heli Hike (West Coast), Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa (Canterbury), Kaitiaki Adventures - Raft the Kaituna (Rotorua), Real Journeys - Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise (Fiordland), Redwoods Treewalk - Redwoods Treewalk and Nightlights Experience (Rotorua), Rotorua Canopy Tours - The Ultimate Canopy Tour (Rotorua).

New Zealand's Great Rides - 10 Years On

The 3rd of June was International Bike Day and New Zealand has cause to celebrate it. Since a public think tank ten years ago surfaced the idea of 'New Zealand's Great Rides' the country's network of multi-day cycle trails has expanded to 22 'Great Rides' and 2500km of mostly off-road cycling. It attracts approximately one million annual visitors.

The expansion continues with the newest project including a 530km continuous cycle trail across Otago which will connect four existing Great Rides and link 30 communities. The Great Rides include:

• Twin Coast Cycle Trail, Northland
• Hauraki Rail Trail, Coromandel
• Waikato River Trails, Waikato
• The Timber Trail, Central North Island
• Motu Trails, East Coast
• Te Ara Ahi (Thermal by Bike), Rotorua
• Great Lake Trail, Taupo
• Mountains to Sea, Ruapehu - Whanganui
• Remutaka Cycle Trail, Wellington/Wairarapa
• Hawke's Bay Trails, Hawke's Bay
• Queen Charlotte Track, Marlborough Sounds
• Dun Mountain Trail, Nelson
• Great Taste Trail, Tasman
• The Old Ghost Road, West Coast
• West Coast Wilderness Trail, West Coast
• St James Cycle Trail, Canterbury
• Alps 2 Ocean, Canterbury to Otago
• Otago Central Rail Trail, Otago
• Roxburgh Gorge Trail, Otago
• Clutha Gold Trail, Otago
• The Queenstown Trail, Southern Lakes
• Around the Mountains, Otago to Southland

Read more about New Zealand Cycle Trails.

Mood of the Nation

The Mood of the Nation research is commissioned by TIA and Tourism New Zealand and measures New Zealanders' perceptions of tourism. The survey is conducted twice a year, with over 1000 New Zealanders interviewed across the two surveys. The Mood of the Nation research is used to help inform industry and government activity to support a positive tourism experience for visitors and host communities.

Top line results, March 2019: Perceptions of New Zealanders:

• 93% agree or strongly agree international tourism is good for the country
• 91% are proud that New Zealand is an attractive tourist destination
• 86% take pride in welcoming international visitors
• 12% are aware of tourism's value as New Zealand's number one export industry
• 46% agree New Zealand attracts the right number of international visitors
• 26% think the number of tourists is too high
• 43% percent believe tourism puts too much pressure on New Zealand
• 33% agree that the government and industry are taking actions to address the pressures of tourism

Business Centre - Online Scams

Have you checked out our online Business Centre recently? This is where to go for useful tools and information selected especially for use by New Zealand tourism operators.

Online Scams - Bogus bookings for tourism operators can take up time and effort and, in some cases, may mean loss of revenue. On the business centre online scams page, you'll find information about what sort of scams and bogus bookings have been perpetrated and resources about scams.

Business Support Services - Drone Images Library

If you have a beautiful video or image taken at your business location, why not submit it to our drone video and images library? You'll get another platform from which to promote your business and remind visitors why your area of the country should be on their trip planner!

Top Tourism Site of the Month

This month's Top Tourism Site Award goes to Anatoki Salmon.

www.anatokisalmon.co.nz

Anatoki Salmon Fishing & Cafe is situated on the banks of the Anatoki River between Kahurangi and Abel Tasman National Park and is a unique freshwater fishing activity. Their website's home page features a stunning image of a Chinook salmon, which makes a visual impact. The lavish imagery continues throughout this informative responsive website, which helps to ensure an engaging user experience.

Nominate a Site

If you think a New Zealand travel or tourism website deserves a 'Top Tourism Site Award', let us know about it. (View further information about the award criteria).

About the Top Tourism Site Award

The New Zealand Tourism Guide confers a Top Tourism Site Award to websites that:

1. Enhance New Zealand as a travel destination
2. Publish useful and informative content
3. Are laid out in a professional and aesthetically-pleasing manner
4. Are designed effectively for the World Wide Web
5. Demonstrate easy functionality, interactivity, originality, outstanding graphic quality and marketing reach.

We welcome any feedback — send your comments to: news@tourism.net.nz