Insight: Putting spotlight on region as tourism destination

"Every region is vying for visitors so it is important that we are competitive in this space to ensure the future viability of our tourism sector."

Welcome to The Southland Tribune’s weekly column spot called “Insight”. This week Great South chief executive Chami Abeysinghe provides an insight into how Southland is combining with neighbouring organisations to try to boost tourism numbers.

Kia ora.

While most of our work involves intra-regional collaboration for the benefit of Murihiku Southland, often there is benefit to us collaborating further afield.

We’re thrilled that this month a new touring network that covers the whole of Southland and Otago was launched, named the Southern Way.

This initiative was the brainchild of Great South’s former Chief Executive Graham Budd and involved working with all eight neighbouring regional tourism organisations within Otago and Southland, including the two that Great South manages – Visit Fiordland and Visit Southland.

It’s important to note that although Fiordland is part of Southland, in terms of tourism and the way the region is promoted, the two are separate.

The Southern Way provides another option for travellers with a bit more time on their side and is just another way of putting a spotlight on our region.

I urge you to take a look at the new Southern Way website and to let friends and family know to take the time and visit our stunning region and all it has to offer.

Promoting our region is an important part of our ongoing work, to support our tourism sector and attract domestic and international visitors.

This week, some of our team will be at TRENZ in Christchurch, which is one of the biggest tourism events of the year.

This is where we have the opportunity to sell our region (Southland and Fiordland) and the tourism experiences we have available here to the people who sell our region to international travellers.

Due to Covid there hasn’t been a TRENZ in person for several years so we’re very much looking forward to this opportunity to fly Southland’s flag.

Every region is vying for visitors so it is important that we are competitive in this space to ensure the future viability of our tourism sector and the flow on effects of attracting people to live and invest in our region.

Coming up we have a sustainable tourism programme for Te Anau tourism businesses and for those in the farming sector wanting to branch into tourism, we are subsidising an Agritourism programme which might provide the motivation to get that farm cottage turned into accommodation or pursue other farm-based tourism ideas.

We look forward to working with participants on those programmes and our other business support events coming up.

Chami Abeysinghe,

Great South Chief Executive