3 Ways To Celebrate Matariki 2016

The Matariki constellation. Image credit: http://www.mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/matariki

The 2016 Matariki Festival, celebrating the M­āori New Year, will begin on June 06 2016. This is an important time in the Māori calendar, as it is an opportunity to “connect with, and give thanks to the land, sea and sky”.

This celebration offers people a chance to come together over traditional food, rituals and etertainment. There are plenty of public events running over the festival period – why not make the most of the opportunity to get involved and learn more about the Māori culture? (more…)

ITC Industry News Bulletin #5

In this week’s Industry News Bulletin, Jetstar announces new flights, Air New Zealand cleans up at the Paris Air Show Awards and the cruise industry is going from strength to strength

TOP STORIES

New air services a boost for tourism

Jetstar today announced it will add new flights to at least four regional New Zealand destinations. The Tourism Industry Association believes this will have a positive impact on New Zealand tourism, making it easier for people to access remote areas of the country. “Offering them [tourists] more good value options for flights will definitely boost that spending,” said TIA Chief Executive Chris Roberts.  (more…)

Introducing the ITC student bloggers

What’s it really like to be a student at the International Travel College? We have recruited a team of student bloggers to bring you the inside word about what’s happening around ITC.

The bloggers will be writing articles about college life – here’s a little bit of information about them all. Keep an eye out for their blog posts in the near future!

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ITC Industry News Bulletin #4

In this week’s industry news another air deal looks to improve flights to and from New Zealand and local businesses do incredibly well in the TripAdvisor Awards

TOP STORIES

NZ surges ahead in TripAdvisor awards

More than 3,000 New Zealand tourism businesses have been awarded a Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor in 2015. This is a 76 per cent increase from last year – an amazing achievement and a true testament to the quality of tourism providers around the country. Well done New Zealand! (more…)

ITC Industry News Bulletin #3

In this week’s industry news round-up we share stories about Wellington Airport, Air New Zealand and more

TOP STORIES

NZ signs air deal with Greece

Air New Zealand has signed an agreement with Greece which will make it easier for Kiwis to travel to this beautiful country.  The agreement will allow airlines to cooperate and provide travellers with a single ticket involving a number of carriers. New Zealand Transport Minister Simon Bridges said further flight agreements may also be on the cards. (more…)

ITC Industry News Bulletin #2

In this week’s Industry News Bulletin we cover the Government’s proposed travel levy, increased arrival numbers and Tourism New Zealand’s off-season marketing campaign, plus more of the latest airline, travel and tourism news

TOP STORIES

NZ annual arrivals heading towards 3 million

Data released late last week shows yet another increase in visitor arrivals. Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Kevin Bowler said these figures are encouraging and suggest that New Zealand’s peak season “is slowly extending later into the shoulder months”. (more…)

TRENZ 2015: What we learned

Most of the announcements at TRENZ 2015 underlined one key message: the NZ tourism industry is going from strength to strength

Tourism has been the talk of the town over the past few days, thanks to TRENZ 2015 in Rotorua (May 17-20). Several important announcements were made by industry leaders and Prime Minister John Key also made a speech.

We’ve been following the news closely; here’s what we learned from TRENZ 2015.

More skilled workers needed

New Zealand’s tourism industry is going from strength to strength, with arrival numbers increasing steadily and international marketing campaigns attracting more overseas visitors.

As highlighted yesterday in the ITC Industry News Bulletin, the industry will need to hire around 36,000 more full-time workers by 2025 to meet this growth. (more…)

ITC Industry News Bulletin #1

In this week’s Industry Bulletin tourism jobs are in high demand, Tourism NZ launches a new campaign and TRENZ opens in Rotorua, plus many more interesting stories

Welcome to the first edition of the ITC Industry News Bulletin, a weekly round-up of the latest news from the airline, travel and tourism industries.

You can read more about the strategy behind the Industry News Bulletin here.

TOP STORIES

Tourism workforce set to grow almost 40%

The New Zealand tourism industry will need as many as 36,000 more full-time workers by 2025, according to research released by the Tourism Industry Association (TIA) this week.

“TIA is working with the tourism industry to develop a People & Skills Strategy which looks at how to attract more people to work in the tourism industry in the short, medium and long term. This work is progressing well and we expect to launch it publicly later this year,” TIA Chief Executive Chris Roberts said in a media release. (more…)

ITC a ‘second home’ for short course students

The ITC Travel Short Course finished on a high note, with a cultural themed shared lunch. The students all made a wonderful effort with their costumes

For many secondary school students, attending a short course at the International Travel College (ITC) is the first time they experience life at tertiary level.

It can be quite daunting, leaving the familiarity of high school and travelling into the city for a course taught by an unknown teacher, in an unknown environment.

That’s why the team at ITC strives to create a warm and welcoming environment for every student that enters its doors. From the moment they step into the college, they are part of the ITC family. (more…)

ITC students discover the best of New Zealand

ITC students showcased their knowledge of New Zealand’s top tourism destinations during a recent assessment

“Don’t neglect the gold in your own backyard.” – Ben Okri

What does the word travel mean to you? For most people, it signifies flying far away from home and exploring distant and exotic places. Perhaps you dream of seeing the Eiffel Tower and eating croissants in Paris, or hiking the Inca Trail in South America? Or maybe a Safari in Africa is more your thing, or a sailing tour in Croatia?

Creating a travel wishlist can feel exciting but also daunting. You may wonder: will I ever truly make it to all of these beautiful destinations? How can I afford to travel the world while I study and gain work experience?

If international travel seems a distant dream at this point, then we have an interim solution: why not explore your own backyard? (more…)