TRENZ 2012 grows NZ tourism industry

Four intensive days of business interactions in May will earn as much as $149 million for New Zealand’s economy, the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) says.

TRENZ 2012, held in Queenstown 7-10 May 2012, is the $9.7 billion New Zealand tourism industry’s biggest annual international business event. Almost 300 travel and tourism buyers from all New Zealand’s major visitor markets attended the event to negotiate business deals with a similar number of our top tourism operators.

A survey of the New Zealand operators who attended TRENZ 2012 shows that they conservatively estimate business worth $149 million will result from the event. 12% of exhibitors estimate that they expect to generate more than $100,000 in turnover as a result of attending TRENZ 2012.

Buyers say they expect to increase total client numbers by almost 10,500 as a result of attending TRENZ (a 4.5% increase on the previous year’s total). They commonly identified 4-5 new products or suppliers of interest.

“Delegates have told us this was one of the best TRENZ events ever, with 99% of international Buyers and 98% of New Zealand Exhibitors rating their attendance as either ‘very successful’ or ‘successful’,” he says.

These delegates also reinforced the importance of TRENZ, with 80% of Buyers and 72% of Exhibitors saying TRENZ is more important that other purchasing and marketing activities they undertake.

“This is an excellent result for TRENZ and TIA. It’s fantastic to see that delegates continue to rate TRENZ as one of the most important marketing activities they undertake. Even in this era of virtual meetings, you can’t beat face-to-face contact and solid relationships to seal a deal,” Mr Snedden says.

Tourism New Zealand’s Chief Executive Kevin Bowler says TRENZ is a key event on the travel trade’s annual calendar.

“TRENZ is much more than a just a trade show. By bringing key international travel sellers down to New Zealand, they are able to experience first-hand the very product they promote. As a result, their increased knowledge and personal experience will make them more effective at selling New Zealand – resulting in more visitors, staying longer and doing more.”

TRENZ also brings immediate benefits to the host region. Delegates spent the equivalent of more than 2800 nights in the Southern Lakes region this year, staying around five nights each.

During this time, Buyers spent an average of $1263 and Exhibitors spent an average of $2059. In total, it is thought delegates collectively spent in excess of $1 million on their travel costs. Based on total spend with local suppliers by organisers and delegates, the contribution of TRENZ to the local host region was $2.34m.

All Buyers and 99% of Exhibitors rated Queenstown as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ as a host region for TRENZ 2012.

Southern Lakes chairman Jeff Staniland says the region has been extremely fortunate to host TRENZ for the last two years.

“Our second staging of TRENZ built on the success of the first and delivered for all parties – Buyers, Exhibitors, local suppliers and the whole Southern Lakes Region. We at Southern Lakes would like to thank TIA for both bringing TRENZ to our part of the world and for working with us to deliver such a great event,” he says.

Planning is now underway for TRENZ 2013, which will be in Auckland, 21-24 April 2013.

About TRENZ
TRENZ is a TIA owned and managed annual event which brings together New Zealand tourism operators (Exhibitors) with a similar number of invited international travel and tourism Buyers and media from New Zealand’s major tourism markets. The event directly helps to grow New Zealand’s tourism industry, worth $9.7 billion in foreign exchange annually.

TRENZ is supported by Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Qantas, host region Southern Lakes and other industry partners.

For more information visit www.trenz.co.nz