Pune – During his visit to Pune, Bollywood actor and Tourism New Zealand Brand Ambassador, Sidharth Malhotra shared memories from his second New Zealand journey. From thrilling Harley bike rides with cricketers Stephen Fleming and Brendon McCullum and time spent at Te Puia and Mitai Maori Village to adrenaline-pumping activities like the Auckland bridge climb, luge riding, jet boating and zip lining; Sidharth showcased his escapades through a video encapsulating his 10-day visit to the country. The video highlighted the actor’s journey through diverse experiences spanning Auckland, Rotorua, Hamilton Waikato and Christchurch & Canterbury regions.
Also present at the event was Steven Dixon, Tourism New Zealand Regional Manager, South and South-East Asia. The event took an exciting turn when Steven quizzed Sidharth on a series of images of Sidharth at New Zealand’s iconic locations.
Speaking at the event, Steven Dixon, Tourism New Zealand Regional Manager, South and South East Asia said, “India is a priority source market for Tourism New Zealand; we have witnessed steady growth from the market as Indian travellers are drawn to the beauty of our landscapes, the authenticity of our experiences and the warmth of our people. Sidharth Malhotra’s efforts as Tourism New Zealand’s Brand Ambassador has not only helped raise the profile of New Zealand as a travel destination to millions of Indians, but also showcased our wonderful offerings to potential visitors.”
Reminiscing about his last visit, Sidharth said, “New Zealand has so much to offer. I’ve been to the country twice now and every time I go, I have the opportunity to really admire nature in all its glory at their stunningly beautiful locales. Though New Zealand has always been known for adventure sports and activities, there is so much more to it than that. From my recent trip, visiting the Hobbiton Movie Set and spending time at the Mitai Maori Village were some of my best memories. With the innumerable experiences that New Zealand has to offer, I’d really encourage my fellow Indians to visit this ideal destination and experience it for themselves.”
In July this year, Tourism New Zealand commenced its new four year marketing strategy. It focuses on attracting visitors to new regions, encouraging them to experience new and different activities, and working with the industry and government to improve the tourism experience for visitors and New Zealanders. The strategy takes a long term approach to growing the value of international visitors.
As an effort to support and encourage trade partners in India, Tourism New Zealand introduced the new and improved version of 100% Pure New Zealand Specialist Programme in July at Kiwi Link India 2017. The new programme introduced a Gold, Silver and Bronze tier structure, which includes a range of benefits and incentives for members of each tier. It aims at enhancing travel sellers’ knowledge of New Zealand through online and in-person training; and presents an opportunity to potentially increase their sales and referrals.
