Nearly 300 tourism and travel buyers from around the world are set to converge on Auckland next month to attend TRENZ 2014 the largest annual international trade show of New Zealand’s 24 billion dollar tourism industry, which showcases the new and exciting tourism products that New Zealand has to offer consumers in its home markets. This year 260 of New Zealand’s leading tourism operators will put their products on display to the 300 buyers who are the most influential in terms of generating international visitors to New Zealand.

“Highlighting the importance of TRENZ, 85% of buyers at last year’s event said it was more important than any other marketing and purchasing activities they undertake,” says Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) Communications Manager Ann-Marie Johnson.“Buyers are coming from 30 countries to attend TRENZ 2014, including traditional visitor markets such as Australia, the UK and the USA, and newer markets where New Zealand tourism is targeting high-value visitors, such as Brazil and Indonesia.We are very pleased to see that the number of buyers attending from India has increased to 14, up from 10 at last year’s event. India is a visitor market seen to hold enormous promise for New Zealand.”

Ms Johnson says there is also a big increase in the number of buyers coming from China, New Zealand’s fastest growing visitor market. (70 buyers from China are attending, up from 53 last year.)

“TRENZ is a fantastic opportunity for New Zealand’s high quality tourism operators to negotiate contracts and build relationships with international buyers – vital for growing their business now and over the long-term.”

Tourism New Zealand’s General Manager Corporate Affairs, Chris Roberts, says TRENZ is a key event on the travel trade’s annual calendar.

“Bringing key international travel sellers to New Zealand, to experience first-hand the very product they promote, ensures they are knowledgeable about our country and tourism offering and are able to effectively sell it as a holiday destination. With buyers attending from across our traditional markets, growth markets and priority emerging markets we are looking forward to a busy four days building on our work offshore to promote New Zealand and our unique tourism experiences.”

TRENZ 2014 is being held at The Cloud and Shed 10, Queens Wharf, Auckland, 18-21 May.