More than 200 tourism operators and suppliers are in Dunedin this week for a conference that should give Dunedin operators the chance to promote their products.
The two-day Tourism Export Council (TEC) of New Zealand conference is being held at the Dunedin Centre. The tourism industry has been growing strongly recently, and is expected to become New Zealand's No. 1 export industry.
The TEC is a trade association that represents 1300 tour operators and suppliers throughout the country who package, distribute and market New Zealand tourism products and services internationally.
Enterprise Dunedin director John Christie said the conference had brought the top New Zealand inbound holiday destination decision-makers to Dunedin, giving local tour operators ''a real vehicle to promote their products and the region''. The conference yesterday heard from its Australian counterpart, the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC).
ATEC chairman Denis Pierce said tourism in both New Zealand and Australia was in a ''sweet spot''.
Tourism was the No. 2 export earner in Australia, earning the country $32 billion, behind only iron ore.
With the industry such an important earner, and both countries having a lot to offer, it was important to ''sell that to the world''.
Mr Pierce said the ATEC and the TEC could save time and money by working together.
Today's speakers will include Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett and Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler.
