Destinate Tourism Marketing

20/10/2026

What do you think of our song? It’s just a little bit about Destinate 🥰

Made with

17/10/2026

Sunday Funday - why not have a bit of fun in the creative studio? 😄🤩

17/10/2026

The story you’ve told a hundred times. The tucked-away spot you know so well. The way you remember a guest’s name or take time to answer their child’s questions.

For you, it’s another day at work. For your visitors, it could be the moment they talk about when they get home.

When you’re close to your business, it’s easy to overlook what makes it special. Pay attention to what guests mention in reviews, thank you for afterwards, or tell their friends.

There could be a great marketing story sitting in something you barely give a second thought.

What’s one little thing your guests always seem to remember?

13/10/2026

Getting to TRENZ is one step. Making the most of it starts well before your first appointment - and continues long after you get home.

TRENZ Unpacked is back for 2027! In our opening episode, I’m joined by Liz Grossman from Hawke's Bay New Zealand, Anna Black from General Travel New Zealand and Collette Rogers from RealNZ for a practical conversation spanning preparation, the event itself and follow-up.

From researching buyers and setting clear objectives to asking better questions and keeping relationships moving afterwards, the panel shares what makes a difference. We also discuss why results can take time and what success can look like beyond immediate bookings.

Whether you’re a first-timer, an experienced attendee or working towards a future TRENZ, there’s plenty here to help you get more from the opportunity.

Listen to the latest episode of The Tourism Chat Show and follow TRENZ Unpacked for more practical advice as we work towards 2027.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa - TIA

https://www.destinatenz.com/podcast

12/10/2026

This week’s Destinate Weekly Roundup is live.

There’s a strong distribution and trade theme this week, with TRENZ already on a waitlist, TECNZ applications now open, a new Tourism New Zealand wellness campaign in Japan, North American wholesaler incentives, and some interesting shifts in the way travellers are buying and building trips.

I’m also looking at why slower touring, easier packaging and stronger regional combinations could create more opportunity for smaller operators.

The big takeaway for me this week is this:

You do not always need a new product or a new market. Sometimes you need a better understanding of how your existing experience fits into the trip the customer is already trying to build.

Read the full roundup on the Destinate Knowledge Hub.

TRENZ is already on a waitlist, TECNZ applications are open, and new developments in Japan, North America and Europe are showing how tourism products are becoming easier to package, sell and combine. Here’s what New Zealand operators should be watching this week.

05/10/2026

This week’s Destinate Weekly Roundup is all about trade readiness.
With TRENZ and TECNZ registrations opening for 2027, Kiwi North underway in North America, and visitor numbers continuing to grow, there are plenty of opportunities out there.

But the bigger question is: are tourism businesses actually ready to make the most of them?

This week I’m looking at what makes a product easy for trade to sell, why famils should be treated as sales investments, and why strong visitor numbers only matter if your business is actually capturing some of that growth.

The key takeaway? Before signing up for another event, roadshow or round of trade activity, make sure you’ve made yourself easy to buy, easy to sell and easy to remember.

Read the full roundup on the Destinate Knowledge Hub. (Link in bio)

01/10/2026

The TRENZ Unpacked series on The Tourism Chat Show is coming back soon and we want to hear from YOU!

If you could ask a buyer one question before sitting down at your appointment, what would it be?

I’m inviting buyers onto The Tourism Chat Show’s TRENZ Unpacked series, and I’d love to put your questions to them.

What have you always wanted to know, but never had the opportunity - or felt comfortable enough - to ask?

Perhaps it’s:

• What makes you take a chance on a new tourism product?
• What should I know about your business before we meet?
• What makes an appointment memorable?
• How do you decide whether a product is right for your clients?
• What happens after TRENZ - and when should I follow up?
• If we’ve met a few times but no bookings have come through, what should I do differently?

Whether you’re considering your first TRENZ or have been attending for years, what would help you feel better prepared and make those conversations count?

Pop your burning question in the comments, or send me a private message if you’d prefer. I’ll weave your questions into the buyer conversations so we can all listen and learn from their answers.

29/09/2026

A new episode of the Tourism Chat Show is live.

Over the past few weeks I’ve been keeping a close eye on the tourism stories that could actually change how we sell, distribute and market experiences.

In this episode, I’m unpacking five trends worth watching right now, from Australia’s outbound travel boom and the continued value of travel trade, through to AI moving closer to the booking, event-led travel and the changing meaning of premium experiences.

I’m also introducing the new Destinate Weekly Roundup on the Knowledge Hub, where I’ll be filtering the tourism news each week and focusing on what actually matters for operators.

If you want the quick version of what’s changing, why it matters, and what I think tourism businesses should do next, this one’s for you.

Listen in your favourite podcast app - search “The Tourism Chat Show” - and don’t forget to hit follow/subscribe to never miss an episode 🙌🏼🫶🏼

29/09/2026

Apparently we’re telling the truth about our jobs now, so here’s mine.

Yes, I work in tourism. Yes, I travel for work. And yes, occasionally there is a glass of w**e at a trade event.

There are also 52 back-to-back appointments, a suitcase full of product sheets, a very early flight home and a follow-up list that will haunt me for the next fortnight.

I don’t sell holidays, although I do understand why people think I do. I help tourism operators turn brilliant experiences into products people can find, book and sell. Some days that means big-picture strategy. Other days it means asking, for the third time, whether the rates in the brochure are actually the final rates.

And those people I’m “chatting to all day”? Years of relationships, honest conversations and the occasional “I’m going to tell you something you may not want to hear.”

I love what I do. I just thought I’d show you what’s going on outside the glamorous 12 seconds that make it onto Instagram.

Tourism friends, what’s the funniest thing someone has assumed about your job?

28/09/2026

What should tourism operators be paying attention to this week?

This edition of The Destinate Weekly Roundup looks at five shifts with practical implications for New Zealand businesses:

• The overlooked value of visitors staying with friends and family
• AI moving from travel recommendations to actual bookings
• Why premium incentive travel is more about seamless delivery than extravagance
• How concerts, festivals and sporting events are driving entire trips
• Why destinations need a stronger reason for travellers to stop, not just pass through

The big takeaway? Sometimes the best tourism opportunity isn’t convincing someone to travel. It’s recognising that they’re already coming, and giving them one more reason to stay.

Read the full roundup. Link in bio.