Archive for the ‘General’ Category
NZx January 27th: Northland / Te Tai Tokerau
Naumai
Northland /Te Tai Tokerau is a fantastic place. There are many icons to visit here; Tane Mahuta, Russell, Waitangi, Cape Reinga or any beach with golden sands, pohutakawa and sparking blue sea.
A recent visit to Northland enabled us to spend some time exploring both the icons and the back roads.
The icons are all there, service was mostly good but some of the infrastructure was looking decidedly tired and away from the icons – empty. Most of the tourism entities were either staffed by Caucasian or international transients. While hyped up with great marketing the cultural interaction was limited, oversold and didn’t address many of the basics of great visitor experiences.
Beyond the icons it wasn’t to hard to find another story. Hints of elitism, exclusion and then poverty and well… another world one which most New Zealanders aren’t aware of..
It’s sometimes useful to look beyond our initial impressions, and to reflect on how tourism could provide a positive contribution to all in it’s community.
Ka kite ano
Tane Mahuta – a Northland / Te Tai Tokerau icon
NZx December 20th: a “professional ” approach
Naumai
A recent trip to the West Coast led to the cycleway around Greymouth and Hokitika. Great concept if still some work to do. Pity about the image below, which I think is an attempt to warn us about some track maintenance.
Obviously its almost impossible to read, creates a poor image and is disrespectful of the great work being done on the cycleway.
The sign was a 15 minute drive from Hokitika, easy access!
Ka kite ano
DOC’s “professional” approach to visitor information?
NZx November 15th : Underdone
Naumai
The West Coast relies heavily on tourism to sustain and develop it’s future. Recently we visited the West Coast Tree Top and cafe walkway, not far from the picturesque Lake Mahinapua – and about twenty minutes from Hokitika.
First appearances were far from bright. It was simply pouring and there surprisingly no option to drop anybody alongside or in a sheltered canopy. Our mood wasn’t helped when we had to wait for the staff to actually greet us – they were too busy talking to each other.
The walkway itself had lots of potential to be improved. The structural components of the walkway were fine but the visitor experience could have been greatly enhanced. The panels were simple but okay but so much more opportunity to enhance the experience through some immersive experiences. Wildlife is great when its there, but when its not….
Our visitor experience was further downgraded on the way out. The walk through the compulsory gift shop came to a sudden halt when we struck the main exit door – it was locked. Still 30 minutes before closing and while most people would have been trying to get in we were simply trying to get out! Staff, looking suitably embarrassed, eventually came to allow us out…
The visit was in November. I hate to think what sort of visitor experience this would be in the peak of summer, and the visitor season.
Ka kite ano
NZx October 14th : Crunch summer ahead
Naumai
All the indications are that this will be a crunch summer for tourism in New Zealand.
Reports suggest many accommodation providers are full, attractions run the risk of turning people away and transport providers (particularly rental providers) have invested in new stock.
The likelihood is that international visitors will be here in increasing numbers, particularly in iconic locations. Will that create a problem with New Zealand domestic visitors seeking the relatively uncrowded experience they have been accustomed too?
Ship Cove/Meretoto in Queen Charlotte Sound is a case in point. Easily accessible by scheduled boat services, private vessel and some international cruise ships, the iconic site maybe under threat from sheer numbers this summer. The track (and it certainly isn’t of a great standard) is often quiet but from November to March that changes. At any one time the narrow track can be full of visitors, both domestic and international, throughout the day. At what stage is the visitor experience compromised?
Solutions to this “nice to have” problem are complex. Tourism New Zealand is moving to focus marketing efforts on the shoulder season, the conversation around taxing international visitors is gaining momentum and both traditional media and social media are focusing on the opportunities.
Ka kite ano
Ship Cove / Meretoto, Marlborough Sounds
NZx September 19th: Authentic
Naumai
One of the challenges for attractions is to keep the visitor experience fresh and alive. Regular change and emotional connection is a necessity of designing successful visitor experiences.
While Tilden’s https://prezi.com/s1qrbgvpu7ik/tildens-principles-of-interpretation/ principles of interpretation were written in the late 1950’s they still apply today.
Without provocation the visitor experience risks being compromised and becoming purely a source of information – after all interpretation (the art of sharing stories and experiences) is not information!
Visiting the indigenous Tjapukai Cultural Centre in Cairns recently was case in point. There has been some attempt to use Tildens principles, particularly in the areas of reveal and age related experiences. Unfortunately the low point came when we were served “authentic” bush tucker – at a table complete with porcelain plates and in cups made in China. The damper was more like commercial bread. This was probably an attempt to placate potential food safety concerns, but it may also be an attempt to cater to the large wholesale group demands.
Whichever it was definitely not an authentic experience, and did little to provocate our thinking on indigenous foods!
Visiting Tjapukai ten years ago was a highlight of the Queensland experience. We were emotionally moved but this time the sanitized experience left us cold.
Ka kite ano
indigenous food at Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park
NZx August 14th – first impressions
Naumai
I recently had the opportunity to travel down SH 1 from Cambridge to Wellington.
I was struck by a number of tourism businesses that despite their prime site on SH 1 did little to inspire or motivate me to stop. What looked like broken down or dirty vehicles, broken or old signage and a general unkept appearance. It may be the off-season for some of these businesses but…!
In another city I recently visited a major attraction. The parking was difficult and well separated from the entrance. The entrance was uninviting and overdone with billboards. It did little to inspire a sense of anticipation for what might lie beyond.
This not only applies to those tourism businesses on SH 1 but also in many places and businesses as diverse as Queenstown and Auckland.
First impressions are like relationships. Rightly or wrongly most people make an assumption or form an impression in the first few seconds about the person they have just met. The same applies to your business.
What are the first physical impressions of your business?
My next blog will discuss what happens, or doesn’t,when you first enter a business and interact, or not (!) with staff.
Ka kite ano
Malcolm
What do visitors see when they arrive at your destination?
NZx July 17th: Undervalued
Naumai
Recently I travelled on the Kaitaki en route from Wellington to Picton.
A lounge is available for travellers that want something different from the standard Interislander fare. The marketing blurb describes Kaitaki Plus (the lounge) as offering “the most comfortable and luxurious way to travel between the North and South Islands of New Zealand.”
Your Kaitaki Plus ticket will give you access to an exclusive, premium, on-board lounge, providing: ….Free internet access……Complimentary food and beverages etc.
First impressions were good: good welcome by staff, light and airy, good seating, plenty of space. Food offering was average but certainly not up to say Koru lounge standard.
Two customer experiences that clearly need resolving are the internet and availability of coffee.One of the attractions of the lounge was the opportunity to access and work on the internet.Unfortunately the connections kept dropping out and in the end the laptop was put away due to sheer exasperation! Having worked on cruises ships for the last six years I acknowledge internet connections can be difficult but surely that shouldn’t be while crossing Cook Strait, and certainly not if identified as a selling feature. The coffee machine became a point of contention for another customer about 30 minutes out of Picton. A few minutes before the staff had hung up the “sorry this machine is not available” sign. She was clearly disappointed when she started to make coffee and was told that was not possible without (any real explanation) by a staff member. Sure coffee machines need cleaning but couldn’t that wait until after the ship was in port – it is after all not a big job.
These may be small features but should be easily fixed and for a premium lounge one would expect them to be. I guess it’s about putting the customer first and not the operational requirements of the organization.
The promotion of the lounge states that Kaitaki Plus will make you wish the trip was longer. I’m not convinced the experience delivered made me wish that…..and at $ 45 it is not a customer experience I would be recommending.
Ka kite ano
Malcolm
Does the customer experience equal $ 45?
NZx June 12th: Xrated
Naumai
Recently I attended TRENZin my capacity as GM at Sanctuary Mountain.
It had been a number of years since I had attended this international trade show. The time at TRENZ was a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends, develop new business opportunities and appreciate the breadth and scale of tourism in New Zealand.
However I was struck by the sameness of the product on offer and in many cases the same product (although packaged differently) in a number of different locations around the country. How many variations of zip-lines do we really need in a country as small as NZ?!
Wouldn’t it be great if each of our regions was able to truly focus on their points of difference, the attributes and experiences that can only be found in that region.
Not only would that enhance the range of products on ‘offer” but would also further drive our visitors into the regions. Imagine marketing NZ as a series of sub-themes (highlighting regional differences) based around 100% NZ.
The further development of initiatives such as airbnb add a distinctive NZ and local flavour, and a point of difference to an already crowded accommodation market place.
Not doing so runs the risk of further enhancing a sense of sameness in tourism – that can be found anywhere in the world. Hotels of course can be a classic example of global quality, but blandness, that permeates much of the industry.
Ka kite ano
Malcolm
NZx 1st June: new beginnings
Naumai
Is this a new beginning? The Department of Conservation has restructured and both the Director General and the Minister assure us it’s business as usual – all be it with a twist.
The Department will now develop partnerships with business as a way of generating revenue for conservation. Good in theory but what about the potential clash with sanctuary’s and other key iconic conservation projects that are chasing the same opportunities.
The Government’s current funding model in this area is contestable. Large community based projects are up against small locally driven initiatives for what is a small pot. The end result is that the small pot is diluted and so therefore are the conservation gains.
So where does that leave sanctuary’s? We contribute in a major way to the social, economic, environmental and spiritual wealth of New Zealand. One might argue that between the main 6-10 sanctuary’s, and other key iconic conservation projects, we offer the best hope for restoring what we have all lost.
As yet none of us generate enough revenue to be self sustainable. Until such time as we do we must rely on community support, volunteers and corporate sponsorship. All of these are in the same space the Department is moving too……..
If the Minister and the Department wish to choose another path which puts them in direct conflict with sanctuary’s survival both he, and they, may leave a sad legacy.
New beginnings – lets wait and see…..
Ka kite ano
Malcolm
koru on the shores of the Marlborough Sounds
NZx May 18th: differentation
Naumai
“Here I am a weather beaten and world weary traveller at the end of my journey of discovery through New Zealand.
Like everyone these days I’d ‘ done my homework before I came. I knew NZ isn’t 100% pure and untouched. It has one of the worlds worst records in terms of biodiversity loss. The quality of its streams and rivers is deteriorating. The loss of habitat over the last 300 years is sadly impressive.
I did come expecting to see and hear the stories of this place. I already knew that the introduced possum had caused significant damage to both habitat and endangered species. What I didn’t expect to hear was this story repeated at almost every location throughout my travels in wild New Zealand. I get the possum story and am frankly so over it! “
As providers and kaitiaki of NZ Inc we need to get our act together. We need to provide genuine, themed, regionally focused and integrated stories for travellers throughout New Zealand.
We don’t need to repeat the same story at every location.
We should focus on regionally based story telling that focus’s on the points of difference of that place.
Our visitors get the possum (and other repeating themes) story. The big picture NZ Inc stuff doesn’t need repeating at every location…!
Ka kite ano
Malcolm
tohora (blue whale)