ITC Famil Trip August 2015: Kelsi’s Story

ITC student Kelsi (far right) with some of her classmates on the August Famil Trip to Rotorua and beyond.

Student blogger Kelsi recently went on a four-day Famil trip around New Zealand’s central North Island. This trip is included in the New Zealand Certificate in Travel Level 4 and is one of the highlights of studying at ITC, as it’s a chance to experience the travel and tourism industry firsthand. Kelsi gives us a rundown of this amazing trip, featuring adrenalin-pumping white water rafting and the best Maori fry-bread ever!

Day 1: Bye for now, Auckland!

On Monday the 10th of August, three combined classes and one (brave) teacher set off with Stray for the ITC Famil to Rotorua! Tutu was our driver and once we were out of the CBD, he told us what to expect from the trip and a little bit about the company. A popular option with tourists, Stray offers a hop-on, hop-off bus service and guided coach tours throughout New Zealand and Asia.

Our first stop was Matamata, the home of Hobbiton. We had lunch at the I-site, which is shaped like a hobbit house!

Some of Kelsi’s classmates at the i-site in Matamata

After photos had been taken and lunch eaten, we continued on to Agroventures in Rotorua. Debbie, the Sales and Marketing Manager, talked a little about her career and the activities they offer at Agroventures. The most popular attraction is the Swoop, a 40 metre high swing. You are safe inside a full body harness but have to pull your own rip cord, swing down toward the ground before cables catch you. You can reach speeds of 130kph.

Debbie had some great advice for us: “Build excellent working relationships as they will make a difference in your travel and tourism career.”

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #14

In this week’s airline, travel and tourism news: Air New Zealand’s safety video goes viral, beautiful South Island landscapes attract global attention, regional centres continue to report tourism growth, and more.

TOP STORIES

Air New Zealand Men in Black Safety Defenders a crowd pleaser

Last week Air New Zealand released a brilliant new safety video, ‘Men in Black Safety Defenders’, featuring several high profile All Blacks, coach Steve Hansen and singer Stan Walker. To say this video went viral would be an understatement; more than 12.9 million online views were recorded in its first four days, and the video has been shared by major global news outlets including Time.com and The Telegraph.

“It’s been fantastic seeing the reaction to Men in Black Safety Defenders both online and from the feedback we’ve received from customers,” says Jodi Williams, Air New Zealand Head of Global Development.

“We have been a longstanding supporter of the All Blacks and New Zealand Rugby and it’s been great for us to be able to release this latest video and show our support for the team.”

Way to go Air New Zealand!

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Three reasons to consider a career with a rental company

Working for a car and motorhome rental company like JUCY Rentals is a great way to help tourists see our beautiful country. Pictured: the JUCY Casa campervan.

Have you ever considered working for a car & campervan rental company? This career choice may be less talked about than jobs like flight attending and tour guiding, but it’s no less rewarding. Here are three reasons why you should definitely think about working in this exciting part of the tourism industry.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #13

Bringing you the latest news from the Airline, Airport, Travel and Tourism industries

TOP STORIES

All Blacks to build ‘experience’ attraction on Auckland waterfront

New Zealand Rugby is building an interactive All Blacks attraction in Wynyard Quarter. Called ‘The All Blacks Experience’, this attraction will offer rugby-loving tourists the chance to learn more about how the sport is played in New Zealand, and is scheduled to open in 2017.

According to Steve Tew, New Zealand Rugby chief executive, this attraction fills a gap in the market and will draw substantial interest.

“Our research shows there is a real demand for an all-weather attraction like this on Auckland’s waterfront serving international and domestic visitors as well as Auckland locals,” Steve said.

“With tourism numbers growing rapidly, the business case stacks up strongly.”

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5 quick questions with ITC Tourism Education Team Leader Mel Fey

One awesome part of Mel’s job is that she gets to do things like the SkyWalk!

Mel Fey heads up ITC’s Tourism Education Team. She teaches a range of short courses to secondary school students, in the aim of educating them about the exciting airline, travel and tourism industries. We asked her five quick questions about how she got into this role.

1. What sparked your interest in travel and tourism?

When I was younger and I saw flight attendants board their aircraft I thought they must be famous and I wanted to be one. I studied level 3 and 4 tourism after high school and after a couple of customer service roles I ended up spending almost a decade working for Air New Zealand.

2. Do you have any travel tips for those setting out on their first overseas adventure? 

Research before you go. Tell others about your trip as I’ve found the best tips are from those who have been there. Facebook is a great tool for this. Also use companies like STRAY etc, as they know the best places to go and you can travel as a group.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #12

In the first ITC Industry News Bulletin for August, hotels across New Zealand are performing exceptionally well, cycling holidays are taking off and much more.

TOP STORIES

Stellar year for NZ hotels

Hotels across New Zealand are performing exceptionally well according to new data released by the Tourism Industry Association (TIA). The research was based on all TIA-member hotels, of which there are nearly 140 around the country. The average occupancy in these hotels during 2014 was 75.7%, while the average daily rate was $144.

“Almost every region saw record results last year, with the exception of Christchurch where a significant recovery in the supply of available rooms due to hotel openings and re-openings has affected the occupancy statistics,” TIA chief executive Chris Roberts said in a statement.

“These positive trends have continued in 2015 and as a result, we are seeing reinvestment with a number of hotels undergoing refurbishment. And investors are responding to demand with more hotel developments around the country that we have seen for quite some time,” he added.

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What’s it really like to work in a hotel?

Pictured: The Langham, Auckland, one of the city’s finest 5-star hotels. Many ITC students do work experience here to learn about the exciting hotel industry.

We all know that staying in a nice hotel is a lovely experience, but what’s it like to work in one on a daily basis? We asked Jacquelyn Shore, the Human Resources and Recruitment Coordinator at The Langham in Auckland. In this interview, she gives us a glimpse of what life is like behind-the-scenes at a 5-star hotel, as well as shares some tips for students considering a career in this exciting industry.

ITC: Tell us a little bit about yourself – how did you get to be working in this industry?

Jacquelyn: After graduating high school, I spent a year living and travelling overseas, as I always had an interest and passion for travel. I knew that I wanted a university degree so I returned back to NZ to complete my Bachelor of Business majoring in Human Resources and Management at AUT University.  Towards the end of my studies I saw a fixed term part-time Human Resources Administrator position at The Langham Hotel. I applied and the rest is history. Two years later, I am a graduate in the position of full-time Human Resources and Recruitment Coordinator at The Langham Hotel, Auckland and absolutely loving it.

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #11

This week the proposed ‘Travel Tax’ has been dominating the headlines. Read on for the TIA’s latest statement on the topic.

TOP STORIES

Tourism New Zealand collaborates with Facebook in new marketing campaign

“One couple, one campervan, one unforgettable road trip around New Zealand.” This is the tagline for a new social media campaign launched by Tourism New Zealand, in collaboration with Facebook.

Called ‘The Kombi Diaries’, this exciting new campaign is based around five short videos, filmed by a couple travelling New Zealand in – you guessed it – a Kombi van. These films are cute, clever and – most importantly – show off some of New Zealand’s most beautiful natural landscapes. Be sure to keep an eye out for them on social media!
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ITC leads the way in aviation training

ITC Graduate Jamee Miles is leading an exciting and rewarding career with Menzies Aviation

The International Travel College of New Zealand is a leading provider of qualifications for the exciting aviation industry. Many of the ITC tutors come from aviation backgrounds and bring their passion and enthusiasm for the industry to the classroom. The result? Our graduates finish their studies feeling just as passionate about this wonderful career choice. So passionate, in fact, that one of them decided to share her story. Here is how ITC helped Jamee Miles follow her aviation dreams.

When I signed up for a Certificate in Aviation through the International Travel College I was unsure of what to expect. I just knew where I wanted to be and that this was the first step in the right direction.

Like many others in my class, I wanted to work at Auckland International Airport. There was something about the glamorous and busy environment that had my full attention. My passion, the layout of the course and the fantastic tutors made studying extremely fun.

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5 quick questions with ITC Head Tutor Tessa Henwood

Tessa Henwood with ITC Managing Director Kerry Priestley at the 2015 Graduation Ceremony.

Tessa is the Head Tutor at ITC’s City Campus. She has had an amazing career in travel and tourism and brings a wealth of knowledge to the classroom.  We asked her five quick questions to give you an insight into her role at ITC.

1. What sparked your interest in travel and tourism?

I am from the UK and what really sparked my interest in the tourism industry as a career was moving to New Zealand and spending almost 2 years travelling and working around the country. I met some amazing people, and saw how many opportunities are out there to really have fun while you work.

The best thing about working in travel and tourism is getting to meet people from all over the world and learn about their cultures, it helps give you ideas of places to travel to and also broadens your mind to see the world in a more open way.

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