New Zealand market update
After two years of closed borders, New Zealanders are excited about travelling overseas again. Feedback from NZ trade partners is that bookings are tracking well for Australia, with demand for new experiences, private experiences, and luxury holidays. Safety also remains front of mind.
Travelers indicate they feel more comfortable travelling shorter distances and to destinations they are familiar with, in addition to good medical / hospital facilities. This plays in Western Australia's favour due to close proximity to NZ and perception of Australia as a safe destination.
Marketing activity
Now that the borders are
open, Tourism WA has been busy launching conversion campaigns with NZ
wholesale, OTA and airline partners to encourage Kiwis to book a holiday in WA.
We have also focused on content partnerships, media visits and proactive PR
pitches to NZ media to spread the word about the amazing holidays only
available in WA. Trade Education also remains to be a key focus to educate and
support NZ travel agents.
Campaign activity
The second phase of the successful 'Adventure Await Western Australia' campaign ran in May/June 2022 to continue to drive New Zealand consumers' desire and consideration of Western Australia holidays over any other destination. The campaign has helped to elevate Western Australia's rank in consideration against other Australia States and has also increase consideration of travelling to WA in 2022/23.
For more information on Adventure Awaits Western Australia, the campaign video can be viewed here.
The new Western Australia Brand campaign will be rolled out in New Zealand in the second half of 2022. A range of tactical campaigns are being rolled out over the next 12 months with key NZ travel industry partners to boost NZ visitation to WA.
Partnership activity
The New Zealand travel industry was badly impacted throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and is currently operating at around a third of the size. Trade partners are trying to recruit staff as fast as possible to keep up with holiday demand.
Tourism WA is keeping a close watch on upcoming changes in the traditional distribution channels and new players across digital channels. We are adapting our partner strategy to work with the partners who provide the highest potential return on investment. We are flexible in our approach, and ensure partners are chosen to provide maximum selling opportunities for Western Australian tourism operators. We also ensure continuous improvement by assessing the effectiveness of previous campaigns and using those learnings to improve future conversion campaign activity.
NZ wholesale and retail partners are currently creating a new range of holiday itineraries and packages to highlight new experiences, as well as those WA holiday experiences New Zealanders have been missing.
PR activity
Tourism WA
regularly distributes WA product updates and news to mainstream media
and travel media in New Zealand. We are currently working alongside
Tourism Australia on content partnership opportunities that inspire Western
Australia holiday stories and videos across NZ new media content platforms. We
will also continue to work with Tourism Australia on upcoming broadcast
opportunities in the coming year.
Trade support activity
Tourism WA continues to
work with Tourism Australia to encourage NZ agents and wholesalers to complete
WA modules on the Aussie Specialist Program online training platform. Western
Australia will be featured as the 'Hero State of the month' in October 2022 which
will include a WA module incentive, dedicated Western Australia eDM and two
webinar training sessions focusing on new hotels, tours and attractions and
unique holiday experiences and destinations in WA.
How can industry get involved?
Align your NZ marketing activity and messaging to support the Adventure Awaits Western Australia campaign.
Connect with Tourism WA on social media. Share your great photos and videos by tagging #ThisIsWA so they can be promoted on Tourism WA’s social media channels. Images selected will be credited and tagged in any content used. Make sure you @ mention us and other relevant accounts like your Regional Tourism Organisation (insert their @handles).
Gain more reach through Tourism WA’s social media channels. Follow us on:
Twitter - @WestAustralia
Instagram - @WesternAustralia
Facebook – @ExtraordinaryWesternAustralia
Join the conversation and share. If you see a post relevant to your product, make sure you comment, like and share. If you set up feeds to follow your local Regional Tourism Organisation, you can easily see if a post of ours is relevant to you so you can join in. Visit the Western Australia YouTube channel to watch videos from all around Western Australia, and make sure you subscribe to get notified each time we add new content. You can share these videos on your own social media channels and embed them in your website too.
More information