ITC Industry News Bulletin #25

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news, New Zealand’s Great Walks are launched on Google Maps, the TIA supports a review of tertiary education, Air NZ wins another top award and much more.

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New Zealand’s Great Walks launch on Google Maps

360 degree views of New Zealand’s Great Walks are now available on Google Maps, including popular tracks such as the Abel Tasman and Routeburn.

The imagery was captured by the Google Street View Trekker, a backpack with more than 300 cameras which take photos every few seconds.

Ross Young, spokesman for Google New Zealand, said the addition of the Great Walks to Google Maps is likely to do wonders for tourism.

“Immersive technology experiences like these give international tourists the chance to see first-hand how stunning our country is before they travel,” says Ross.

“This is a great example of business and government working together to use technology and the internet to tell New Zealand’s story to the world.”

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Last chance to apply for an ITC 2016 scholarship

Last year’s scholarship winners pose with their certificates alongside ITC tutor Ali Rigby.

Would you like to win some money to go towards your studies at the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) in 2016? If you’re passionate about airline, travel or tourism, you could be eligible for a scholarship.

We have a pool of $25,000 on offer, with scholarships ranging between $1000 and $5000 each. Entries close on 7 December, so you have just one more month to submit your application.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to receive financial assistance. Apply now to get your travel and tourism career off to a flying start.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #24

In this week’s industry news, tourism comes closer to toppling dairy as NZ’s top export earner and Waiheke Island is voted as one of the world’s must-visit destinations for 2016, plus much more.

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Waiheke Island world’s fifth best region: Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet has named Waiheke Island as the fifth best place to visit in 2016 – an accolade that is expected to attract thousands of tourists to the island’s beautiful shores.

According to Lonely Planet’s marketing director, Chris Zeiher, Waiheke was chosen for its gorgeous natural beauty and abundance of tourism activities.

The island is “a utopia of secret coves, beautiful beaches, rolling vineyards, luxury lodges and bohemian sensibilities,” Mr Zeiher said in a statement announcing the list.

“In 2016 Waiheke Island is welcoming the world to sample from its abundant offerings and inviting all visitors to fall under its spell,” he added.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #23

In this week’s industry news, the border levy fees are set, spring attracts high numbers of international visitors and Fullers is investing in two new ferries, plus much more.

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Level of a new international ‘travel tax’ set

Despite opposition from several industry leaders, including the Tourism Industry Association (TIA), the government is pushing ahead with the ‘travel tax’. New border fees will be charged from 1 January 2016, it was announced last week.

The fee is $21.57 including GST for air travellers (return trip) and $26.22 for those arriving by cruise ship, boat or private plane.

Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy, told Radio New Zealand that the fees are in response to the increased number of arriving and departing travellers.

“All travellers are a risk as they could inadvertently carry ‘hitchhiker’ pests or prohibited items with them. The levy will allow border activities to respond to future demand and create a more sustainable platform for border risk management services,” Mr Guy said.

The TIA expressed disappointment with the decision in a press release published late last week.

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Pretty in pink: ITC raises money for breast cancer

Staff and students at the International Travel College participated in the NZBCF’s Pink For a Day campaign to raise money for breast cancer.

Students at ITC always love an opportunity to dress up for college – especially if it’s for a great cause. Last Wednesday everyone ditched the smart black and white dress code in favour of pink, pink and more pink to raise money for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation (NZBCF).

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #22

In this week’s Industry News Bulletin, we take a look at tourism in the South Island, with both Queenstown and Christchurch experiencing growth and forecasting a busy summer season.

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Christchurch CBD Awakens

As construction projects inch closer to completion and companies begin to return to the CBD, the Christchurch business community is enjoying ‘a renewed sense of optimism’, the New Zealand Herald reports.

In this in-depth feature article, the Herald interviews a series of Christchurch businesspeople about the current climate, five years after the 2010 earthquake.

Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce general manager Leeann Watson told the Herald that businesses are now beginning to return to the CBD.

“All businesses had to move out of the central city because it was closed down for a considerable amount of time, so they didn’t have any choice but to go and set up elsewhere,” Ms Watson said.

“What we’re seeing now is those businesses have come back and are coming back.”

Christchurch’s regeneration is a positive sign for the tourism industry, with more people visiting the Garden City each year. Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism chief executive Tim Hunter is expecting this summer to be another busy season.

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ITC graduate lands dream job with Aerocare

ITC graduate Jacinta Nelson recently started working with Aerocare as a check-in agent for Jetstar. She is a wonderful role model and a shining example that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.

The team at the International Travel College of New Zealand (ITC) is incredibly proud of graduate Jacinta Nelson, who recently started her dream job working with Aerocare as a check-in agent for Jetstar.

Aerocare is Australia and New Zealand’s leading ground handling company. It partners with airlines to deliver exceptional customer service and support to passengers.

Jacinta has long had her eyes set on a career with Aerocare and was overjoyed to be offered a job. A mature student, Jacinta is sharing her experience to show others that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

“I believe everyone – at any age – can fulfil their dreams and achieve their goals,” Jacinta says.

“To all current and future students: don’t give up too easily. Keep going until you reach your dream.”

Jacinta joined ITC’s Botany Campus in April 2015 and completed the New Zealand Certificate in Tourism with a strand in Aviation. This 21-week course is an ideal introduction into the world of aviation and covers topics such as check-in, aviation security, flight attending, international travel documentation and more.

Many students who complete this course go on to work at airports or for airlines. It’s a great course for anyone who is passionate about air travel and wants to work in this exciting industry.

Jacinta is a shining example of how with hard work, determination and the right qualification, you can achieve your career dreams.

“We are so proud of Jacinta – she is a role model to all students, past, present and future,” says ITC Botany Head Tutor Cathy Alder.

“She said a couple of years ago that she thought she could never do it. Well, now here she is: she has proved that she can! It’s never too late to starting learning and never too late to gain your dream job. Congratulations Jacinta – you’re a super star!”

ITC is enrolling now for 2016 courses – get in touch today for a friendly, no-obligation chat about how we can help you achieve your career goals.

ITC Industry News Bulletin #21

Air New Zealand dominates headlines this week, reporting strong growth and winning national recognition at the Tourism Industry Awards.

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Air NZ in its best ever shape

According to businessman Mark Lister, the head of private wealth research at Craigs Investment Partners, Air New Zealand is currently faring extremely well, despite increased competition, capacity increases and other challenges.

“There’s a lot of things that have just gone their way, in terms of fuel prices, tourism trends and the domestic economy,” Mr Lister told the New Zealand Herald.

“But they’ve also made some great progress themselves among the things they can control in terms of fine-tuning routes and making sure they’ve got capacity where they need it, improving the fleet and doing what they can about competition.”

Air New Zealand held its AGM in Auckland yesterday afternoon (Wednesday October 7) and is forecasting strong growth over the next 12 months.

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5 quick questions with ITC tutor Amy McPhail

ITC tutor Amy McPhail used to be a flight attendant for Virgin Australia – it’s no surprise that flight attending is her favourite subject to teach!

Amy McPhail is a tutor at The International Travel College of New Zealand’s City Campus. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the classroom. We asked her five quick questions about her passion for aviation, travel and tourism.

1. What sparked your interest in travel and tourism?

When I left high school I had no idea what I wanted to do for a job, let alone a career. One day I was at home flicking through a newspaper and I came across an advertisement for a travel course. As soon as I saw the picture of the Flight Attendant, I knew that was what I wanted to do. A week later I was enrolled and starting my journey towards a fabulous career in travel and tourism. Completing my Certificate in Travel and Tourism gave me a great foundation to launch my career and introduced me to the wide variety of work available in this exciting industry. I have since worked in a variety of roles in the tourism industry, including working for Hilton Hotels, as a flight attendant for Virgin Australia, for a travel wholesaler and as a travel agent.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #20

In this week’s ITC Industry News Bulletin, the TIA commit to tackling challenges as the tourism industry grows, a Chinese celebrity fronts a new safe driving campaign and much more

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TIA: the pressures of tourism growth – riding the wave

The Tourism Industry Association (TIA) is committed to ironing out challenges as the nation ‘rides the wave’ of a huge tourism boom. In a statement released this morning (October 1), TIA chief executive Chris Roberts said the industry’s challenges will be a key agenda point at the TIA National Tourism Summit in Wellington this November.

“With growth come pressures. How can we successfully host thousands more visitors, spread them around the country and make sure they don’t all want to come in summer? How can we protect our natural environment and keep the goodwill of Kiwis? Where will the infrastructure investment come from? Can we attract the right staff? And how can we ensure we consistently deliver world class visitor experiences?” Mr Roberts said.

These challenges are likely to be on many people’s minds as we progress into this next period of growth, just ahead of what looks to be another record summer. The TIA Summit intends to generate discussion around these important issues. Registrations are now open for the event, to be held on Thursday 19 November.

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