For being New Zealand’s biggest tourism trade show, TRENZ sure seems to go by very quickly. After a year of planning and preparation by the TIA team, four days of delegates making business connections, enjoying local tourism experiences and hospitality happens in a blink of an eye.
This year, TRENZ combined innovation, sustainability, and Rotorua’s powerful Tikanga MƒÅori to showcase exactly what has made tourism a $39.1 billion pa industry. From the official P≈çwhiri, to new technology that elevated the experience of our delegates, to reducing our environmental footprint, TRENZ 2019 was something special.
Putting on an event of this size is a logistical challenge, but also an environmental one. We are proud of the steps we took to make this TRENZ our most environmentally sustainable one yet. Taking our lead from the Tourism Sustainability Commitment, we cut back on printed material, reduced landfill waste by using compostable coffee cups and reusable food containers, and through a partnership with Rotorua Canopy Tours had a pest trapping programme to show our delegates the importance of protecting our natural environment. And our partnership with Trees That Count meant there is a legacy of 1200 new trees being planted in honour of their attendance at TRENZ.
We also made some big announcements that will chart the course for the future of the tourism industry.
The release of our industry’s updated Tourism 2025 & Beyond sustainable growth framework addresses current issues but also looks beyond 2025 to focus on building an industry that continues to make a positive contribution to Aotearoa and New Zealanders in the long term. We have pushed our Economic ambition out to $50 billion a year in annual tourism revenue by 2025, but the key change is that sustainability now sits at the centre of Tourism 2025, with additional environmental, community and visitor goals.
Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage attended TRENZ to announce the Government Strategy that will enable a closer working relationship between government and the tourism industry. It’s encouraging that the Government is in alignment with our industry framework and committed to “steering the waka in the same direction”. We had a record number of MPs and Ministers attend TRENZ this year.
We launched Careers in Tourism, a three year package of initiatives to improve knowledge and perceptions of tourism careers, make it easier for young people to experience the industry, and ensure those entering tourism employment have a positive experience so they stay in the industry. The package aims to help attract the estimated 40,000 additional employees needed for our expanding industry over the next five years.
So TRENZ 2019 may be over, but it’s really just the beginning of a full year of events showcasing the excellence of our tourism industry. Up next on our calendar is the New Zealand Hotel Industry Conference on 19-20 June, a must-attend event for hotel managers, owner-operators, developers, investors and advisers involved in the New Zealand hotel industry. This year’s programme covers hotels and technology, property development, and how to thrive in a rapidly changing sector. Registrations are still open, and more details can be found at www.cmnzl.co.nz/nzhic-2019/. The Conference culminates in the New Zealand Hotel Industry Awards Gala Dinner, a fine showcase of those who are excelling in the sector.
We are bringing Discussing Tourism (www.discussing.org.nz) forums to four locations across the country throughout July, while the Tourism Summit Aotearoa in Wellington has been brought forward to September and expanded to two days. Lastly, entries have just opened for the New Zealand Tourism Awards (www.nztourismawards.org.nz), the industry-wide celebration of excellence. If you missed us at TRENZ, there is no shortage of opportunities to get involved in innovating our tourism industry for the future.
