Save NZ from the recession with tourism activism (actourvism)
January 6, 2009 at 9:01 am In Getting Things Done, Life, 6 CommentsHere is a nifty idea to combat the effects of the global recession in NZ.
Tourism is our biggest export earner right? We love people coming to our little bump on the edge of the planet, and as Kiwis we love hosting people and telling them how great our part of the world is.
Here is a really smart and free idea (if any are in fact free) I was toying with while CTO at Vianet. This is for Tourism NZ, or any one who wants to make NZ shine on the world tourism stage. A “My NZ” social media site. Here is how it could work.
- The site, say www.mynz.com is a place for New Zealanders and visitors to New Zealand to have conversations about how fantastic NZ is.
- Let everyone have a say in their own space/page, in their own words and in their own way, about why they love NZ.
- Let them upload their NZ in pictures, audio and video. Identify the places they love in maps, favourite samples of life in NZ, music, culture, poetry, film.
- Link off to other social channels like Twitter and Facebook, YouTube channels, Blogger and WordPress. Every time someone contributes with why they love NZ, channel it with tweets and posts out through their other networks, to their friends and associates. Make it easy for people to have conversations about NZ with the rest of the world.
- Connect with great kiwi companies promoting NZ through technology, like ProjectX Technology/Zoomin, Vianet.travel, EventFinder, Bookabach etc. Connect it through www.madefromnewzealand.com, Tourism NZ
- Get people blogging on mynz.com. Invite prominent kiwis to write.
- Get Tourism NZ tweeting and twitpic-ing on twitter.
- Give New Zealanders ownership, and make them a part of bringing people to NZ. Offer bookings of trips, accommodation, activities through mynz.com. If you bring someone in through your profile and network, and they book travel through the site, earn points, commission, tax credits, jelly beans or a ranking based on how many people you connect with and brought to NZ.
- Make every kiwi a sales agent for New Zealand. Start tourism activism, actourvism!
- Make it fun. Make it infectious. Spread NZ like a virus!
You could almost start it with a little bit of work for relatively low cost by using established social networks and free tools out there. You would just need to build the central cog, the glue, the brand.
It might sound wacky, but I think it would work! Think about it. Don’t you love telling the world how great our country is? What is the best form of promotion? Through word of mouth via people you identify with and trust.
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I like the idea and would love to be a part of marketing/promo if someone decides to run with this concept. the bonus of following in the tracks of tripadvisor et al. is that you, whilst running, could sidestep the trashy flooded-with-advertising/ wholesaler influence that brings reader cynicism with it.
Comment by Simon McManus — January 6, 2009 #
i’m in! TNZ have started steps in this direction already, but it really should be THE direction. if 250,000 of us got 4 extra friends over we’d double the million target… let’s get cracking. see you soon?
ps mynz is already a tab on our site… ; )
Comment by steve adams — January 7, 2009 #
starting a new site altogether when madefromnewzealand.com has done such a good job would be a waste of time. Should just intergrate these ideas into madefrom. It should not be run by TNZ. They need to stay focused on fulfiling the sustainable tourism plan from 2002 or whenever it was written. leave viral marketing to others. Of course with TNZ involvement though. Just not direction.
Also need to make sure there is just as much attention on domestic tourism and story telling. Would add a lot of content and intl. visitors would like to see local content, they would get inspired by watching a vid of some crazy kiwi’s on a wild fishing trip.
Good idea though, maybe get Ben from http://www.sharemynz.co.nz to share some thoughts…
Comment by elliot alexander — January 8, 2009 #
Hi Vaugahn.
I have been thinking almost the same thing myself and have built many parts of the system you are talking about. I would be interested to talk with you on where you are at with this idea. You can see our current software at http://www.adventurenewzealand.com . This however does not have public access to our most recent software which is mostly a backend software to do some of the things you were speaking of. Drop me a line or contact me on 021 633382 if you would like to talk further in regards to this.
Comment by David Stella — February 19, 2009 #
[...] ideas either, but I saw the road ahead as a bit of a challenge, and even started throwing one or two ideas around. I was also looking at myself and seeing someone who needed to change what they were [...]
Pingback by 8degrees of vaughan rowsell » Making a NZ long cycleway — March 30, 2009 #
yes a great Idea in Theory, But how about making it work.
NewZealand tourism is a very gready business, Businesses will not support other business unles there is a dolar in it for them. By this I mean, if they make a booking with an activity, they will only do so if there is a commission in it for them.
They wil not promote another business unless there is a dollar in it for them.
Surley it would make more sence to encourage New Zealand businesses to get off the commission gravy trail and start being proud of what other busines are doing in our own back yard.
if everyone promoted each other in a more effective way rather than only thinking of dollars our industry would be better off.
Any questions fel free to ask
Comment by Cedric Trounson — May 3, 2009 #