Introducing the revised 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Programme

After months of work, the new 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Programme, formerly the Kiwi Specialist Programme, is nearing completion and there are some new developments to get excited about.
The programme is a core part of Tourism New Zealand's work with agents offshore, and offers travel professionals the chance to build in-depth destination knowledge, get the latest product updates and in turn, grow their New Zealand sales.

Business Development Manager Bjoern Spreitzer says alongside a revised name and logo design, the changes will make the programme a more engaging training experience for New Zealand sellers offshore and encourage them to sell more New Zealand products.

"One of the areas we are changing is the benefits that travel sellers get from obtaining the well-earned status of "100% Pure New Zealand Specialist". They will have access to dedicated resources, enjoy preferential listings on newzealand.com and be able to participate in Tourism New Zealand events offshore. The criteria of maintaining the status will also be revised, with agents now only having to complete two refresher modules over two years (rather than ten) and only needing to visit New Zealand once to gain their status and that trip remains valid forever.

"The online training modules have also been significantly upgraded and redesigned to ensure information is provided in an interactive, easy to use and visually captivating format.  The change from the old "text heavy" style of learning should help agents' remain motivated about selling New Zealand and keep it top of mind.

The changes are a result of a review that was undertaken in late 2011 to seek feedback from offshore agents.   The survey received feedback from over 2,300 agents and helped to identify the programme's strengths, weaknesses and key areas for improvement.

"Since that review we have been working to refine the programme and address any areas of concern. We are nearing the end of our work and are excited to share some of the key details of the revised programme with the industry," says Bjoern.

A pilot to test some of the new online modules started in Australia in late 2012. Responses so far have been very positive and the feedback has been reviewed to continue to refine the programme ready for its anticipated rollout in April 2013.

Learn more about Tourism New Zealand's working with trade here.

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