Tourism Radio Hits the Right Note With Holidaymakers

Media Release July 4, 2011

Tourism Radio Hits the Right Note With Holidaymakers

Thousands of holidaymakers every month are throwing away their guide books and brochures and are tuning into an innovative audio travel guide that makes road tripping around Godzone more fun than it’s ever been before.

Tourism Radio provides self-drive tourists with location-based information in real time while they make their own way round New Zealand, giving them all of the information they could possibly need but with the freedom and flexibility to go wherever, whenever they please.

The service uses GPS technology and a unique IntelliPoint system that overrides other broadcasts as the tourist approaches a point of interest. The hardware itself is so simple that even the most technologically-challenged tourist can use it - just fit it onto the car’s windscreen and the programme will be transmitted directly through the car’s radio.

Because it’s so informative and easy to use, thousands of tourists have fallen in love with Tourism Radio since it launched in November 2008.

Already more than a quarter of a million visitors to New Zealand’s shores from as far afield as Western Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and Australia have used the service since its inception.

Hayden Braddock, Tourism Radio’s Managing Director New Zealand and Australia, says tourists love the fact that the programme gives them the feeling of having know-all locals in the car with them, pointing out the must-see spots and chipping in every now and again with local trivia.

“They also love the fact that Tourism Radio has captured the essence of New Zealand by using Kiwi phrases and slang, making it a unique and authentic travelling experience,” he says.

And even though it was launched while the world was in the grips of a global recession, Tourism Radio has refused to become a statistic. In fact, it’s got some pretty impressive statistics of its own - including a 1000% growth since its inception, proving that it has made a significant impact on the lucrative international tourism market in New Zealand.

Mr Braddock says being able to directly target tourists as they’re right on their doorstep is also a huge drawcard for local tourism operators advertising on Tourism Radio.

“Tourism Radio is a leader in the field of location-based promotion of tourism businesses, and advertisers are seeing some great results when it comes to the number of tourists going through their doors. It goes to show that location-based promotion is the way of the future.”

But Mr Braddock says space on Tourism Radio is limited and businesses wanting to be part of the action will need to hurry.

“With thousands of tourists set to descend on New Zealand in September and October, businesses need to get in quick if they want to be a part of this unique offering,” he says.

Tourism Radio currently boasts 22 partners, including a number of New Zealand’s major rental car and motorhome companies, and hundreds of affiliate websites.

Tourism Radio was originally launched in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2005. Due to its success in New Zealand, the company is planning to launch into Australia in 2012, followed by Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States a year or two after that.

For more information on Tourism Radio, visit www.tourismradio.co.nz .

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