Air New Zealand has partnered with New Zealand convention bureaux to grow conference and incentive business travel to regional New Zealand with the recent launch of a new familiarisation programme.
The New Zealand Convention Bureau Famil Programme enables convention bureaux across the country to work in partnership with Air New Zealand to bolster conference business to regional New Zealand centres.
Air New Zealand will invest more than NZD$100,000 this year in domestic travel allocations provided to regional convention bureaux, with the funds enabling the bureaux to invite key decision makers to their regions for site inspections and to investigate future event hosting opportunities.
Air New Zealand Regional General Manager for Distribution and Corporate, Leanne Geraghty, says the programme, which launched last month, is proving popular with more than 50 influencers having already travelled to various towns and cities across the country, and a further 80 to travel in the next three months.
“With a comprehensive domestic network and increased domestic capacity, Air New Zealand makes a significant investment in market development in both New Zealand and in offshore markets, including the growth of the business events sector,” she says.
“We are committed to further growing incentive and convention travel, and to ensuring that all of New Zealand shares in the benefits this growth brings. One key benefit of incentive and conference travel is the ability to attract visitors to New Zealand over the shoulder season in an effort to smooth out seasonal fluctuations in demand.”
New Zealand Convention Bureau Chair, Jessica Beyeler, says: “Convention bureaux around New Zealand are incredibly grateful for the support provided by Air New Zealand that recognises the importance and value of the conference and incentive market for the regions. The majority of bureaux investment goes into showcasing their regions through hosted famil programmes, so this new support will allow for increased targeted familiarisation activity”.
Air New Zealand was the Principal Sponsor of this week’s Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) Meetings 2016 and has flown in more than 100 Australian buyers and more than 40 buyers from long-haul markets to attend the event.