Disappointment as fewer Dunedin tourism operators attend Trenz

A small turnout of Dunedin tourism operators at the year's major tourism showcase event has disappointed industry insiders.

Trenz, a show in which operators from across Otago and Southland join others from around the country to sell their wares to overseas buyers, opens today in Rotorua.

But only about half the usual numbers from Dunedin have booked in for the three-day event.

That does not appear to be the case across the rest of the region.

Both Destination Queenstown and Venture Southland report similar or increased numbers.

A combination of tight budgets, and the event having been in Dunedin last year, appears to be behind the low numbers.

That is despite tourism still growing in New Zealand, even though the rate of growth has slowed.

Enterprise Dunedin travel trade sales and marketing representative Gil Abercrombie said only five groups were going under the Dunedin banner this year.

They included Enterprise Dunedin, the Dunedin City Council's in-house economic development, tourism and marketing agency.

The Otago Peninsula Trust is also going, but not as part of the Dunedin group.

The others were Larnach Castle, Natures Wonders, Dunedin Railways and Emerson's Brewery.

There are usually 10 to 12 operators at the event.

Ms Abercrombie said Dunedin was lucky last year to have the event in the city.

"I think some people are considering their marketing spend on the back of that.''

Dunedin had also had less interest from international buyers wanting to do "famils'' (familiarisation tours of the city).

Ms Abercrombie thought that was because most would have been in Dunedin last year.

Otago Peninsula Trust marketing manager Sophie Barker said her organisation was not going under the Dunedin banner because there was an extra cost involved in doing so.

Ms Barker said it was disappointing the trust was one of the few that went to Trenz every year.

Tourism businesses had to keep "beating the drum''.

Trenz was where all tourism wholesalers were, and where you could find out what was happening in the industry.

"Yes, it is expensive, and yes, Rotorua is expensive.''

However, having just a few booths was not good for Dunedin.

Dunedin Host chairman Paul Phelan said there was "natural attrition'' after Trenz had been hosted in a city.

There had been a good turnout of operators last year.

But the cost of the event was "pricey'' for smaller operators.

Council operators like Toitu Otago Settlers Museum and Olveston were not attending, which was disappointing.

People often started picking up business from their second or third visit, and it was important to keep going.

Olveston manager Bronwyn Simes said her decision not to go to Trenz was mostly budget driven.

Olveston was a small operation and Trenz, with its required travel and accommodation, was not a cheap venture.

It was value for money, but "we simply don't have the budget'', despite business still being good.

Going to Trenz was also difficult for an organisation with a small staff.

Olveston was planning to go every second year in future, and share a booth with other council-owned operations like Toitu and the Otago Museum.

A Destination Queenstown spokeswoman said 25 operators were at the event this year, up on the year before.