The cycle trails in the Ruapehu District are one of the activities featured in the campaign. Photo / Bevan Conley
The cycle trails in the Ruapehu District are one of the activities featured in the campaign. Photo / Bevan Conley
Ruapehu District has signed up to a collective of six central North Island regions behind a fun campaign to encourage domestic tourists to visit.
Along with Coastal Bay of Plenty, Hamilton and Waikato, Rotorua, Tairāwhiti Gisborne and Taupō, Ruapehu's regional tourism organisation Visit Ruapehu is inviting Kiwis to take a road trip through the diverse landscapes of the central North Island.
The 'Get Out More NZ' campaign showcases the big adventures that can be had within a short travelling distance, with a humorous twist.
"The campaign pokes fun at some of the family lockdown experiences that we all shared and encourages Kiwis to 'Get Out More' now that we can travel safely again," Jason Dawson, Hamilton and Waikato Tourism chief executive and spokesman for the collective, said.
"We've got granddads knitting, kids driving parents crazy and bored couples stuck inside watching the same television shows – experiences that our target markets can relate to. The campaign offers an alternative adventure to these markets by showcasing the unique experiences on offer in our regions."
Central North Island collective spokesman Jason Dawson says the campaign encourages New Zealanders to "Get Out More". Photo / Supplied
With New Zealand's borders closed, the only life force for New Zealand's tourism industry is the domestic market. In a country of just five million people with 32 regional tourism organisations, competition between tourism marketing entities is fierce.
Prior to Covid-19, the central regions worked together for more than a decade on international marketing projects as part of the wider Explore Central North Island alliance.
While the rest of the country's regional tourism organisations vie for a share of a relatively small potential travel market, the collective decided to take a different approach and work together.
In the wake of Covid-19, the shift in strategy is "what we call in the tourism industry a 'pivot to the domestic market'," Dawson said.
The campaign will run until Christmas and will appear across Google advertising, Facebook and print advertising. It targets retirees, young families and couples in the North Island and offers an extensive collection of ready-made itineraries on a new website www.getoutmorenz.com
"It's a compelling tool for travellers seeking ideas for a short break away or even a roadie," Dawson said.
"Users can either co-ordinate their travel themselves or seek help to book through the regions' i-Sites."
The international marketing alliance was established to promote the central North Island to international markets under the now popular touring routes Pacific Coast Highway, Thermal Explorer Highway and Volcanic Loop.
"As regions, our approach to collaborative solutions and cohesive marketing hasn't changed – we are just talking to a different audience. So much of the tourism landscape has been altered and our organisations have certainly had to swiftly shift focus to try to keep our industry going," Dawson said.
Ruapehu mayor Don Cameron said Ruapehu is a big supporter of co-operative campaigns for regional tourism promotion.
"Our Regional Tourism Organisation Visit Ruapehu has previously enjoyed a lot of success in promoting the Ruapehu region with regional, business and government partners and the 'Get Out More NZ' campaign is a natural extension of this," Cameron said.
"With the central North Island being within a few hours' drive of major urban centres we expect the campaign will entice a lot of people to take a break with us which will be great for them and our tourism sector."
