Despite being a long haul destination with no direct connectivity and a relatively high exchange rate for Indian travellers, New Zealand is fast growing to become a much visited destination by the market. The optimism of the growth in numbers from this market was palpable at the TRENZ 2015 that was recently hosted in Rotorua, New Zealand. A surprising revelation was how many Indian visitors to the destination are adventure enthusiasts. T3 spoke with adventure tour operators at the event, and it was a unanimous response that India is among their largest source markets.
Ariki Tibble, Multi-Day Adventures said that their largest segment from India were the honeymooners and FIT premium travellers; a market that is rapidly growing and they hope to see more footfall from here. For the company, premium luxury is a focus and bespoke products on offer are much appreciated by their Indian clientele.
According to Sam Allen, Sales Manager, EcoZip Adventures, the head count from India has gone up 500-600 per cent over the years owing to the Cricket World Cup (CWC) and the efforts of Tourism New Zealand (TNZ). In addition, he said, honeymooners are a huge market for the company. EcoZip recently visited India to meet with agents, and also got great response from the Indian delegation at TRENZ. “We have also done a specific Indian market photo shoot of our products; that is how important it is for us. We are looking at marketing EcoZip more actively in India, with a focus on both metros and tier II cities,” Allen added.
Cathedral Cove Kayak Tours has also seen a growth from the Indian honeymoon segment, as well as an increase in private tours. India is a growing market for the company, and one that books both through agents as well as directly, explained Mike Grogan, Director, Cathedral Cove Kayak Tours. He further added that the company plans to start working more closely with the Indian market through TNZ to increase footfall.
Shotover Canyon Swing, which offers over 70 ways to Canyon Swing, also sees a lot of Indian honeymooners, especially for tandem swings, said Sarah Norton, Sales Manager, Shotover Canyon Swing. “We see monthly traffic through the trade and a few direct bookings as well. We do work closely with TNZ to increase visibility and grow inbound business from the market,” she said.
David Blackmore, Sales & Marketing Manager, Skyline Rotorua, has been seeing Indian traffic for the last 15 years, with an increased number coming in since flight connectivity became easier. The CWC, he added, has given footfall a further boost. According to him, Indian incentive groups have also begun coming in, and Indian cuisine has been added to the establishment’s menu. “We receive approximately 2,000 Indians a year, including honeymooners, families, VFR and incentive groups. TNZ India has been working strongly and we are seeing results,” he stated.
Darryl Honey, Director, Adventure HQ also informed that the company provides vegetarian meals to suit Indian dietary requirements. The company sees several honeymoon couples as well as mixed groups and large families spanning two to three generations.
Derek Melnick, Business Development Manager, NZone Skydive called India an incredibly favourable market for the company, stating that it is one of the highest proportional markets for skydiving and is among the top three markets for NZone. “It is a big number compared to other markets, especially considering the Indian footfall to NZ is only about 30,000. The name NZone is synonymous with Indian tourists and the brand is a known and trusted one. We are now becoming a part of travel agents’ itineraries, and also gaining popularity as a non-itinerary activity as well,” he said.
Kaitiaki Adventures usually sees FIT groups, mostly boys from India. The market contributes to 2 per cent of the company’s annual bookings, a fraction that has grown over the years, revealed Jess Bradley, Kaitiaki Adventures. Skipper Canyon Jet has also seen Indian numbers grow over the last two years, owing to an increased footfall to Queenstown, informed Gavin Larsen, Marketing Manager, Skipper Canyon Jet. The company is open to working with Indian agents in a bid to increase business from the market, he added.
