Businesses in Nelson and Tasman have developed their own promotion network overseas, using expatriates to help peddle their wares.
An Air NZ Q300 landing Nelson Airport. Photo: RNZ / Tracy Neal
Nelson Expats Abroad (NEA) has been initiated as part of Project Kōkiri which was established to respond to the economic impacts of Covid-19.
The aim was to create an initial network of 1000 ambassadors in time for the campaign launch on 20 July.
The head of the region's chamber of commerce said the model, Nelson Expats Away or NEA, was based on the nationwide model KEA.
Kea connected New Zealand with the rest of the world through the work of global citizens who took an active interest in the future of the country.
Alison Boswijk. Photo: RNZ / Tracy Neal
Alison Boswijk of the Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce said the purpose of NEA was to build a network of ambassadors who were willing to promote the region, using their social channels.
She said the time was right to establish the network.
"People move away for all sorts of reasons; career, family, education or simply to see the world. We hear from many who have left that Nelson-Tasman is the place they hold dear to their hearts and they plan to return.
"Right now, we want to enlist their help to tell their friends about the fantastic place that is their turangawaewae."
She said NEA ambassadors were encouraged to register online
"It is important they are willing to help us tell their friends and colleagues about this great region using their own networks, and naturally we will supply them with the creative content to do this.
"We are a small but highly connected region, we want to take advantage of this and use it to spread the word. It's easy to register, we do not need vast amounts of information from people, just where they are in the world and get a sense of what they do."
Registration for the NEA campaign is via the Project Kōkiri website.
People living in Nelson Tasman are also being encouraged to send the link to friends and whānau who live away asking them to register.
Ambassadors did not have to live overseas, and anyone in New Zealand was welcome to register.
Project Kōkiri was a collaboration between the Nelson and Tasman councils, the regional economic development agency, chamber of commerce, iwi and regionally based government agencies.
They were developing a range of projects aimed at regenerating the regional economy in response to the impact of Covid-19.