International travel buyers pitched the best of the region
There’s a conversation Wheelie Fantastic Cycle Tours co-owner Nicky McBride has over and over with the tourists pedalling their way across the region.
It’s all around what it’s like to live here, and how could they move here, she said, adding that visitors were fascinated by and attracted to the region.
Quite often, travellers said Nelson was what they imagined New Zealand to be, said Lisa Mann, Wheelie Fantastic’s other co-owner.
Mann and McBride spoke to the Nelson Mail at a Nelson Tasman Trade Day on Tuesday, a kind of “speed dating” event co-ordinated by the Nelson Regional Development Agency (NRDA) in which 18 local tourism operators connected with international travel buyers.
The buyers play an important role in influencing where overseas visitors travel and what experiences they book, acting as a bridge between overseas travel sellers – such as travel agents, wholesalers and online travel companies – and local tourism businesses.
Representing key international markets including the US, Europe, Australia, as well as Southeast Asia, Canada, Spain, India and North America, the majority of the buyers service high-end and luxury travellers, a key focus for the Nelson Tasman region and for NRDA in attracting high-value, high-spending visitors.
The coming season poses both challenges and opportunities for the tourism sector, as the US conflict with Iran continues.
After the 2025 Tasman floods, McBride said there were sections of the Great Taste Trail that were still missing, but that affected those doing the full loop rather than those on day tours.
Now into their sixteenth season, McBride and Mann said there were more reasons for guests to stay longer, bringing greater benefits to the region.
With two brand new hotels for Nelson in the pipeline, McBride reported buyers were “quite excited” by the prospect of more accommodation.
“The capacity of accommodation is important, because the demand is there, but as people are spending more nights here it outstrips supply,” she said.
Doing the rounds with the region’s operators was Southern World’s Laskarina Chaldeakis.
Based in Auckland, Chaldeakis said in terms of the impact of the fuel crisis on North America, their largest market, it was positive, “as weird as it sounds”.
“They’re travelling west, and that’s probably the easiest way for them to go,” she said.
New Zealand was seen as a “dream destination” for North American travellers.
However, with the UK and northern European markets, there was more of a holding pattern, with enquiries being slower to convert into bookings, Chaldeakis said.
Luke Roozendaal, from the Morrison Square Development Company, said buyers were excited about the construction of the 42-room upscale boutique hotel in the piazza, scheduled to open in late 2027.
“They’re just kind of like ‘please build it faster’. It’s something they’re kind of crying out for,” he said.
The hotel’s rooms will range from a generous 31m², while the largest rooms, feature suites that look back across the hills, will span 49m².
Aside from the four-storey hotel, the precinct will have a food and beverage area – Nelson’s “own little version of Little High” – as well as a daytime bakery cafe.
Beyond the trade day, buyers will also spend five days exploring Nelson Tasman experiencing first-hand the landscapes, hospitality, food, wine, culture and activities that lure visitors from around the globe.
Put together by NRDA international marketing lead Donna Adlam, the week-long stay includes Cable Bay Adventure Park’s Skywire, Brook Waimārama Sanctuary, Waka Abel Tasman cultural experiences and Abel Tasman National Park kayaking and walking experiences.
The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary chief executive Chris McCormack took the buyers on a night tour, during which they were lucky enough to see a kiwi foraging for food.
“They were chuffed,” he said.
Buyers will also be treated to multiple food, wine, arts and artisan, cycling and scenic aviation experiences, as well as attending accommodation site inspections across Nelson and Tasman.
NRDA visitor destination manager Craig Boodee said when buyers experienced the region first-hand and saw the quality on offer, they were much more confident selling it.
By Catherine Hubbard, Nelson Mail
This Post Has 0 Comments