Backpacker industry unites in New Zealand
AUCKLAND – The New Zealand backpacking industry has re-launched a membership-based industry body, to be known as NZBackpack.com.
For the last few years a small group of six operators have kept a marketing group together with a view of developing ultimately into an industry association.
At the heart of their efforts was a partnership with The Reserve Group to develop a new backpacker portal (NZBackpack.com) for New Zealand. These six members acted as a caretaker board and underwrote the re-launch.
Now, with more than 30 members signing up, a 10 member board has been elected.
The board is chaired by YHA New Zealand manager, marketing and sales, Daniel Shields.
The group will work with Tourism New Zealand on a new global backpacking campaign, entitled “Go All The Way”, to be launched initially in Australia toward the end of August.
Board member Dan Roberts of Xebidy,com said, “At the end of the day we need to be working together as an industry with the purpose of maintaining New Zealand as a premium backpacker destination both in terms of the amazing things we have to offer and the quality of our offerings; as well as telling the world how bloody good we are.â€
Ian Jarrett
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