Adventurous speaker line-up for conference

Adventurous speaker line-up for conference

Adventure tourism operators are an intrepid lot, but Jamie Fitzgerald’s CV is sure to impress even the biggest thrill-seekers.

Jamie, who co-starred in the recent ‘First Crossings’ TV series, is a keynote speaker at The Great Adventure, taking place at Rydges Wellington on 10 May 2013.

“Jamie was an obvious choice to headline the speaker line-up for The Great Adventure. Jamie uses his exploits to help people bridge the gap between strategy, leadership and creating a high-performance culture. His insights will be invaluable for adventure and outdoor tourism operators,” Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) Advocacy Manager Geoff Ensor says.

TIA is organising the one-day conference to give adventure and outdoor tourism operators a rare opportunity to meet as a sector while also gathering information to help them run successful businesses.

‘First Crossings’ saw Jamie and fellow adventurer Kevin Biggar recreate the exploits of early New Zealand explorers as they tramped, climbed, abseiled, tightrope walked, rowed, swam and skied through spectacular but often dangerous landscapes. All done while using 19th century clothing, food and equipment!

In 2007, Jamie became the first Kiwi to reach the South Pole unsupported on foot with fellow adventurer Kevin Biggar. He also holds the world record for crossing the 5000km Atlantic Ocean in a tiny row boat.

The Great Adventure programme will also feature Tourism New Zealand Industry Relations Manager Paul Yeo who will look at the changing face of the adventure market. New Zealand’s visitor mix is changing, with a rapid increase in visitor numbers from China and stagnant arrivals from traditional markets like the UK and North America.

This has implications for the activities and experiences offered by adventure and outdoor tourism operators.

The conference will also focus on the changes brought about by the government-led Adventure Safety Review. TIA Adventure & Outdoor Project Leader Rachael Moore and Stu Allan, the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment’s Principal Advisor – Adventure Activities will discuss what the new registration and safety audit requirements mean for operators.

The conference will also hear from TIA Chief Executive Martin Snedden, who will update operators on TIA’s projects for the next year and where adventure tourism fits in.

“We are really excited about this strong and relevant speaker programme. There is something for everyone and I’m sure every adventure tourism operator will take away valuable tips for their business,” Mr Ensor says.

Early bird registrations are available until Monday 15 April. To register and for more details about the event, go to www.tianz.org.nz/main/The_Great_Adventure

The Great Adventure is being sponsored by ACC, the Department of Conservation, Ngai Tahu Tourism and Real Journeys.

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