Kiwi Link, Tourism New Zealand’s flagship travel trade event recently returned to India, linking New Zealand tourism businesses with key Indian distribution partners, travel agents, across the country.

In a press statement, Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) says that the event saw a delegation of 41 representatives from various stakeholders of New Zealand’s travel and tourism industry.

Tourism New Zealand says that the event saw a delegation of 41 representatives from various stakeholders of New Zealand’s travel and tourism industry

This included airlines, airports, experience curators, guides, hotels, and tour operators, convened to reconnect with 65 Indian buyers through 1,600 business-to-business meetings, following a five-year break face-to-face sessions.

René de Monchy, Chief Executive, Tourism New Zealand

TNZ says that this intensive platform allowed New Zealand businesses to showcase their diverse offerings to Indian buyers who gained valuable insights into crafting New Zealand off-peak experiences.

The statement adds that to further equip Indian travel agents with destination familiarity, a comprehensive frontline product training session was also conducted, both in-person and via a live virtual session which garnered 98 buyers offline and 200 virtually.

TNZ says the ‘overwhelming success’ of Kiwi Link India reflects the vibrant demand for New Zealand Tourism in India and a ‘renewed commitment to fostering a thriving partnership between the two nations.’

Tourism New Zealand says that the Indian market has already gone beyond the 2019 peak as a total of 84,315 Indian travellers visited New Zealand last year,  about 126 pc of the arrivals in 2019. The tourism board adds that the total number of holiday arrivals from India in 2023 was 20,100, about 71 pc compared to 2019 numbers.