TRENZ 2018 kicks off

NEW Zealand’s Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) is this week welcoming about 1,500 delegates to Dunedin to attend the country’s annual tourism showcase.

TRENZ 2018 includes 387 buyers from 27 markets including mainstays such as Australia, the UK, USA and Japan along with emerging visitor sources such as Brazil and the Philippines.

TIA ceo Chris Roberts said as well as allowing the international delegates to discover new product to sell, the event itself will inject an estimated $2 million into the local economy.

A #DunnerStunner welcome event last night at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium ( pictured) saw delegates including Weta Workshops ceo Jake Downing and Shayne Forrest from the Hobbiton Movie Set network with some local Rugby Royalty including All Blacks legend Richie McCaw.

TIA has also confirmed that TRENZ 2019 will take place in Rotorua from 13-16 May, while Christchurch will host the event in 2020 - for the first time since the 2010/11 earthquakes.

Roberts said taking TRENZ back to the Canterbury region had been a long-held wish “and is a great opportunity to showcase the city’s recovery to the international market”.

The event formally opened this morning with a presentation by Tourism New Zealand ceo Stephen England-Hall ( see page 3), following the launch last Fri of a light-hearted video featuring NZ pm Jacinta Ardern as part of a campaign to “Get NZ on the Map” - traveldaily.com.au/videos.