Tourists will increasingly be more digitally aware, budget conscious and will prioritise unique experiences, a tourism sector group says. Photo: 123RF
How tourists plan, book and take their trips to Aotearoa will be very different in the future, and year-round tourism must become a focus, tourism industry leaders have been told.
Minister for Tourism Matt Doocey told a group of tourism industry leaders on Wednesday that New Zealand needs to become a year-round destination, and the government is developing a roadmap to explore how the industry can grow to meet those needs.
Industry leaders met on Wednesday to discuss the future of tourism, and were told operators need to adapt to capture more market and take a wider approach to who their markets are.
In a pre-recorded video message, Doocey said he wanted to see 70 percent of tourism spread during the shoulder seasons, instead of visitors being concentrated in the summer months.
"We see around 40 percent of total visitor expenditure packed into just three months of the summer season. Rather than growth in our peak tourism season, we want to see 70 percent of tourism growth to occur in the off-peak, to maximise the use of existing capacity and resources."
He wanted international tourists to stay longer, do more and explore the regions. He said the industry would have an opportunity to get involved in the government's plan early next year
Tomorrow's tourists
A report on visitor experiences prepared by Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), ahead of the industry leaders meeting, said visitor experiences could be quite different in five years time, despite tourism still being centred around New Zealand's landscape and people.
"However, this will be enriched by a wide range of technologies making travel easier, more informed and more connected. These changes can deepen the experience in ways, adding value for our visitors and the industry itself," TIA chief executive Rebecca Ingram said.
"All indications are for the role of technology in tourism to accelerate - and this will create so much opportunity for some truly remarkable experiences - as well as industry productivity."
There will be more digitally aware young people travelling in the future, who will be budget conscious and want experiential travel opportunities, while prioritising unique experiences and sustainability, the report writers said.
Many countries have ageing populations, and there would be opportunity to attract these older travellers and target younger manuhiri (visitors).
Ingram said Aotearoa must be competitive on a global tourism stage.
"Tourism is a key economic pillar for many countries, so to be successful we must provide a complete experience for visitors, while ensuring access to markets and air connectivity to enable people to get here. How we turn up in the world matters.
"Change is all around us, but we can navigate it together."
The responsibility to provide a quality experiences for visitors lies not just with businesses but with the New Zealanders who interact with tourists, the report said.
"Increasingly, both international and domestic visitors are seeking deeper and more immersive experiences as they travel. They are seeking experiences that create memories and enrich their lives," it said.
And Aotearoa was well placed to do that, with diverse landscapes, cultures, the industry's capacity and its ability to develop new and better experiences, it said.
"The visitor experience is something that destination Aotearoa New Zealand has control over, and all parties that contribute to it have a role to play to enable the industry to deliver world-class and world-leading experiences to our visitors," the report said.
"For many visitors, Aotearoa New Zealand is an aspirational destination and it is important we live up to this."
The tourism industry needs to adopt and apply new technologies, the report said, as well as having a great workforce, leading on sustainability, and being innovative and resilient.
Govt creating roadmap for growth
The government is developing a roadmap to explore how the industry can grow, Doocey said.
"I know that there were challenges that came with growth prior to Covid, and I know that sustainable growth is a goal that we can all get behind. Growth in tourism numbers in the off-peak season will be key to this."
"My goal is to grow our international markets, attract more visitors who stay longer, spend more and do more."
The roadmap would help to identify the challenges and opportunities for growing tourism, he said.
"We see around 40 percent of total visitor expenditure packed into just three months of the summer season. Rather than growth in our peak tourism season, we want to see 70 percent of tourism growth to occur in the off peak to maximise the use of existing capacity and resources."
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Tourism New Zealand and other stakeholders were developing the roadmap.
The industry would have an opportunity to get involved early next year, Doocey said.
Tourism played an essential role in the economy that the government intended to grow, he said.