This Content Is Only For Subscribers
The 13th annual Backpacker Youth Adventure Tourism Association conference is well underway at Taupo’s Great Lakes Event Centre, August 19 and 20.
As one of the tourism industry’s premier conferences, this years’ theme: ‘NextGen NZ: Igniting Youth Tourism’ has delivered on its promise of hope, innovation and plenty of fun for this years’ delegates.
Day One saw the conference open with a Powhiri from Taupo’s The Haka Shop and offical welcome from Destination Great Lake Taupo before kicking things off with MC and BYATA board member, Haydn Marriner.
There were updates on the state of tourism from TIA chief executive Rebecca Ingram, who says it’s about: “shoulders back and looking forward”.
There was also updates from the industry professioinal panel – TIA, Tourism NZ, TECNZ and Destination Great Lake Taupo who also provided updates on the industry. There is positivity but room for solutions especially in the tourism sector with staffing accomodation shortages.
Tourism Australia painted a positive picture of strong arrivals for June 2024 at 89 per cent vs 2019, however supply and demand issues remain.
Day Two kicked off strong with motivation speaker and former NRL player Sione Faumuina, another industry panel and sponsors messages from Epic Shot – Digital Experience and Media Capture Platform.
In the afternoon were was more digital presentations from Roscoe Price Moor from digital road trip app, Roady, and ways to maxamise social media like TikTok from Hannah Chamberlain followed by a marketing Q & A.
