Desire to drive terrific visitor experience triggers tour

Desire to drive terrific visitor experience triggers tour

Travelling the North Island for two months in an attention getting black and gold campervan is the result of a desire to make the Kiwi visitor experience world class and world beating to boot.

Tourism is a major contributor to New Zealand GDP, with Kiwis and overseas visitors alike expecting great service and a terrific experience no matter where they are or where they go.

“These days, a few bad reviews on social media can spread like wildfire, and the established wisdom that reputations are hard to build but easy to destroy has never been truer,” says Dean Minchington, CEO of the organisation behind the initiative. ServiceIQ is one of the country’s big three industry training organisations, and responsible for the service sectors, together worth $36 billion (about 18%) of our GDP.

ServiceIQ on Tour will make a statement both in the places it stops and on the roads between. The big branded camper will be visiting selected businesses in 15 locations across the North Island, starting in New Plymouth on 3 September.

“We’ll be calling into some of the towns and cities that have helped build New Zealand’s global reputation as a small country that can offer a big experience, reminding everyone that it’s people that matter. Staff need the right attitude, but also the skills and knowledge to deliver an experience that is unforgettable for the right reasons.

“ServiceIQ is right behind the tourism sector’s 2025 Strategy, and is helping it towards success with an exciting new on-job visitor experience upskilling programme. We’ll be working with businesses to help them fill any skills gaps their people might have, and give them new skills and knowledge. Every person completing the ‘BusinessIQ: Skill staff in visitor experience’ programme has their skills nationally recognised with the award of a New Zealand Certificate in Tourism. Tourists, businesses and staff can all be confident that this country delivers on its promises to visitors.”

While the focus of the tour is on raising awareness of the importance of visitor experience among tourism businesses, ServiceIQ on Tour will also be getting the message to those operating in the other service sectors. “It’s the entire package that matters,” says Minchington. “You might have a great day kayaking only to have it ruined within minutes by bad service or poor standards where you dine, spend the night, or shop for supplies or gifts. Visitor and customer experience connects everyone, whether residents or tourists, and across all 11 of the service sectors that contribute so much to our society and wealth.”

There is more information about ServiceIQ on Tour and how you can follow the photo and video action at ServiceIQ.org.nz (www.ServiceIQ.org.nz/about-serviceiq/serviceiq-on-tour) as well as on Facebook at ServiceIQ Aviation Tourism and Travel.

ENDS

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