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Explore Central North Island, a marketing collective of eight regional tourism organisations, is proud to announce a bold new trade initiative targeting the North American market, delivered in partnership with Air New Zealand USA.
This June, ECNI will host a series of four online training sessions designed for travel agents across the United States and Canada under the name eXplore Central North Island. The goal is to increase trade understanding and awareness of New Zealand’s vibrant central regions – with a special focus on those destinations less-travelled but rich in culture, nature, and unique visitor experiences.
Following the training series, participating agents will have the opportunity to apply for a nine-day famil through the Central North Island in October, where 10 top-performing agents will be selected to explore and experience the region first-hand.
ECNI is made up of the RTOs of Hamilton & Waikato, Rotorua, Taupō, Ruapehu, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Tairāwhiti Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay. Together, these regions represent a diverse and compelling slice of Aotearoa – from geothermal wonders and rich Māori heritage to pristine beaches, adventure activities and world-class food and wine.
RotoruaNZ CE Andrew Wilson welcomes the announcement.
“This is an outstanding opportunity to increase visibility and grow preference for the Central North Island in our valuable North American markets. Ours is a region rich in depth and diversity, and this initiative puts it directly in front of trade who can influence travel decisions. The great news just keeps coming at TRENZ – and we’re thrilled to be part of it.”
The training will also include an update from Air New Zealand on the latest developments in air access from the USA and Canada, helping agents confidently build seamless itineraries into New Zealand.
“By joining forces with Air New Zealand, we’re not only providing upskilling opportunities for agents, but also incentivising them with real, immersive learning on the ground,” says Andrew.
Key benefits of the programme include:
- Improved trade knowledge of New Zealand’s lesser-known regions
- Stronger alignment between destination content and airline offerings
- A commitment to supporting regional tourism growth
- First-hand product experience via a hosted famil for successful agents
ECNI invites all TRENZ attendees to help spread the word and encourage their North American networks to register for the training series in the coming weeks.
