May 15, 2015
Chinese speakers translate to tourism win
A strategy of targeting and supporting Asian visitors has paid off for Ngai Tahu Tourism.
The company won the excellence in tourism award at the biennial HSBC China Business Awards.
More than 70 percent of the 295,000 Chinese visitors to New Zealand in the last 12 months were customers of Ngai Tahu Tourism.
Marketing and sales general manager Stephen Lester says the company set out to pursue that market five years ago.
He says the company’s selling point is the stories it is able to tell that enhance the visitor experience.
"You can’t offer that to a non-English speaking market without being able to translate it. So we had invested in both written guides audio guides but more importantly for us the ability to have Mandarin or Cantonese speaking staff members specifically helping our Chinese guests," Mr Lester says.
Ngai Tahu Tourism is still looking to buy or develop ventures compatible with its portfolio, which includes Shotover Jet, Hollyford Track, Dart River, Guided Walks NZ, Franz Josef Glacier Guides, Glacier Hot Pools, Rainbow Springs, Hukafalls Jet, and Agrodome.
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