28 January 2009

Tourism New Zealand's video diary for UK backpackers on the road again

Tourism New Zealand has let its mobile filming studio on the loose again to catch UK travellers experiencing the best New Zealand tourism has to offer, reports New Media Age.

The 'What do you say UK?' campaign allows UK tourists in New Zealand to video visual diaries that will send messages to families and friends at home.

The film studio will be hitting 50 tourist hotspots all over New Zealand until April, and editors will make a scrapbook-type film posted on YouTube under youtube.com/purenzhaveyoursay and on newzealand.com/whatdoyousayuk.

The campaign has proven highly successful, with long queues of travellers for the studio in each town waiting for their chance to gloat about their experiences in one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the world.  The full itinerary can be found on the Newzealand.com website. 

Gregg Anderson, Tourism New Zealand’s Regional Manager UK and Europe said the campaign is a fantastic way of taking advantage of new technologies and new ways of connecting socially.

"Initial feedback from the touring studio is very positive.  Visitors are really enjoying being able to connect to those back home and share their travel tales.  With airlines currently offering great deals on flights to New Zealand, some for under £600, it is the perfect time to be showcasing our New Zealand summer online and enticing more Brits to join their friends and family," Anderson said.

Last September, the 'What do you say UK?' campaign used snippets of these visual diaries to create television commercials for airing in the UK. 

In related news, recent figures show that record numbers of young Irish travellers are heading to Australia and New Zealand on working holiday visas.  The New Zealand working holiday visa scheme allows young travellers aged 18-30 years to work and travel the country for up to twelve months.  Those with a British passport have the opportunity of extending their travel by 23 months.

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The New Zealand Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their New Zealand visa application.