Local i-SITEs still well-used by tourists

A group of ITC students outside the i-SITE centre in Matamata. i-SITEs are still well-used by visitors and form an important part of local tourism communities.

Local i-SITE centres are still popular with international visitors, despite the rising availability of online bookings and travel apps – in what is likely welcome news to tourism workers throughout regional New Zealand, where i-SITEs form a strong part of small tourism communities.

i-SITE executive director Paul Yeo recently spoke about the performance of i-SITE centres at a one-day conference in Wellington. He said that around eight million visitors use i-SITEs every year, resulting in a collective spend of about $76m.

Mr Yeo says this spend is decreasing as many visitors choose to book activities and tours through alternative sources – but that i-SITEs still have an important role to play.

“i-SITEs play a critical role in promoting local business, events and council and community services to those eight million visitors,” says Mr Yeo in a press release.

“They are central to keeping people in a region for longer, to experience more of a region than they might have first considered.”

He adds that i-SITEs also play a critical role in informing visitors (both domestic and international) about safety, such as safe driving and freedom camping. i-SITEs are also an important source of information in the event of a natural disaster.

At Study From Home, we believe i-SITEs can be an excellent source of information for tourism students, too. If you’re interested in working in the tourism industry in your local region, paying a visit to the nearest i-SITE is a good place to start. You can get a feel for what types of tourism businesses operate in the area – and, therefore, what types of jobs might be available.

With Study From Home, you can study airline, travel and tourism from anywhere in New Zealand – all you need is a reliable internet connection, a computer or laptop, and a motivation to succeed.

To learn more about our Study From Home courses, including how you can enrol in 2017, get in touch today. We’ve love to help you kickstart your career in airline, travel and tourism.

Tourism spotlight: Northland New Zealand

Ocean Beach, Northland, New Zealand // Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The New Zealand tourism industry is thriving. Almost every news article that is published about the sector is brimming with positivity – tourism businesses across the country are enjoying high visitor rates and steady growth.

One thing that is especially great about this growing industry is that it impacts the whole country – not just Auckland and the main cities. People travel to the far corners of New Zealand, from the tip of the North Island to the bottom of the South and everywhere in between.

The tourism industry offers a wonderful opportunity for those living in regional New Zealand to become part of something special – to show both domestic and international travellers the wonders of our beautiful country.

We thought we’d celebrate our amazing tourism industry by putting the spotlight on different regions each month. As ITC’s distance learning branch, we are passionate about ensuring qualified, experienced tourism professionals are able to work in small towns and cities. And what better way to encourage people to go to these areas than by shining a light on what makes them great?

It makes sense to start at the top. Let’s take a look at what makes Northland Tourism in New Zealand so special.

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