Western Bay of Plenty tourism operators are being encouraged to take advantage of the upcoming New Zealand tourism industry's annual international showcase.


An attraction at Waimarino Adventure Park.

TRENZ 2010 will be held at Auckland's ASB Showgrounds, May 24-27 next year, and provides tourism operators the opportunity to meet over 200 international travel and tourism wholesale buyers from around the world.
Applications to exhibit at the event are now open and will be open until December 2.
Catherine Connell, Tourism Bay of Plenty communications manager, says TRENZ 2010 can boost the local tourism industry and is also a great opportunity for Western Bay tourism operators.
'There's no other opportunity where we get face-to-face appointments with so many buyers,” says Catherine.
She says Western Bay of Plenty tourism operators have had success at previous showcases.
Many buyers at the showcase in previous years were unaware of a glow worm kayak tour in the Bay of Plenty at Waimarino Adventure Park, says Catherine.
At this year's showcase, Catherine says Tourism Bay of Plenty managed to attract 130 Argentinean rugby supporters to the Bay of Plenty for a tour during the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
'We just find we had a lot of interest in the Bay of Plenty, people are becoming more aware of the area,” says Catherine.