Marriner shares his views on the strengths of the market, visa progress, and opportunities to work with the new government on increasing the value of the youth sector.
Matt Doocey’s appointment to the tourism and hospitality portfolio has pleased tourism sector stakeholders, even if his previous experience did not make him an obvious choice.
The country’s major political parties are making ambiguous tourism promises but Labour’s fixation on ‘high value’ could be detrimental to the youth and hostel sector, writes BYATA chair Haydn Marriner.
Operators will have to up their game to meet the changes in risk communication required under the government’s new rules for adventure activities, says Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Rebecca Ingram.
New Zealand’s backpacker industry is making a steady recovery from the pandemic with some operators managing to hit pre-Covid levels but significant challenges remain.
Happy Travels chief executive Eddy Brown and ROADY founder Roscoe Price Moor will be among the speakers at the Backpacker and Youth Adventure Tourism Association 2023 conference in Christchurch.
The race is on to attract backpackers and boost occupancy from late summer through to autumn.
The association’s Brian Westwood and Chris Sperring say young travellers are an “incredibly valuable” segment for NZ.
The Backpacker Youth Adventure Travel Association (BYATA) of New Zealand is asking major banks why they are preventing international working holidaymakers from receiving bank accounts.
But cost pressures and corporate competition could shape the recovery for operators.
Businesses need to rethink their products and offer an immersion experience that connects people with nature and puts regenerative tourism first.
Experiences must be great for visitors and the environment but also create rewarding connections for Kiwis too, says Stephen England-Hall.
Young travellers can lead the way to a more sustainable sector.
Youth travellers spend more on average than Australian visitors and it is their lifetime value that is the real benefit.
More than 100 people are expected at the conference in Auckland next week, which is based on the theme of embracing high-value youth within the rebuild of tourism.
IT consulting and support business Both Brains has signed on as a silver sponsor for the upcoming Backpacker Youth Adventure Tourism Association Conference at Rydges in Auckland on 25 – 26 August.
New Zealand tourism needs to step up and fight for overseas markets, says the association’s inaugural president.
Almost 20k of the visas were approved before the borders shut and allowing them in could help alleviate worker shortages.
The Backpacking Youth Travel Association of New Zealand says it wants sweeping changes to the government’s recently announced plans to reopen New Zealand to the world.
A move from survival mode to recovery and new industry partnerships have been highlighted at the Backpacker, Youth and Adventure Tourism Association’s 2021 update.
Hundreds of working holiday makers are heading to NZ from Aus but it won’t fill shortages, says BYATA’s chair.
Govt will end up footing the unemployment bill if workers in the hard-hit youth sector lose jobs, says BYATA’s new chair.
Hospitality New Zealand has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Backpacker Youth and Adventure Tourism Association.
One of the hardest-hit parts of tourism is holding on for a quick rebound when international travel resumes.
Under the memorandum, both organisations committed to jointly grow the value of international youth arrivals to New Zealand.
Youth travel is going to be vitally important to the recovery, says TNZ director of commercial Rene de Monchy.
YHA’s manager of hostel operations, Simon Cartwright, has been elected the new board chair of the Backpacker Youth & Adventure Tourism Association.
TNZ has refocused its backpacker strategy on the direct UK and German markets.
The backpacker and wider tourism industry is in “a huge state of flux” and it was vital operators tackled complex issues together, an industry audience heard this morning.
Rotorua’s Mary Tolley knows how important the backpacker market is to Rotorua and NZ, and now it will be part of her responsibility to help others realise it too.