Overseas tourism players take in Bay's attractions

The tourism buyers enjoyed a tour of the region in helicopters.

A helicopter convoy escorted 10 international tourism buyers to some of the Bay's key tourist attractions yesterday.

Tourism Bay of Plenty chief executive Rhys Arrowsmith took the tourism buyers from Australia, United Kingdom, India, Germany, China and United States, who were visiting the Trenz expo in Rotorua, on a helicopter tour to White Island and Tauranga.

The visitors, all general managers or owners of big travel companies from around the world, flew in three Frontier Helicopters to take in White Island, Mataatua Marae, a stop at Frontier's Whakatane Airport base, a flyover of Kiwi 360, Waimarino, Trinity Wharf and Mauao, then on to Experience Comvita for a tour before returning to Rotorua.

The tour was jointly funded by Tourism BOP and the tourism operators.

Tourism BOP head of marketing Kristin Dunne said the group of 10 were drawn from a ballot of 160 international travel delegates.

There were 300 delegates in total at the expo.

Ms Dunne said the group were all influential as they decided which information about attractions would be given out to customers in promotional material and brochures.

Mr Arrowsmith, who is also chairman of the Explore Central North Island tourism collective, said the expo was a "premiere opportunity" to showcase the attractions of the Bay of Plenty.

"With the event being held in Rotorua we have greater opportunity to 'famil' our international visitors in the region.

"The key tourism operators that we visited yesterday are export ready and a significant part of our tourism export earnings."

Mr Arrowsmith said the aim of the tour and the expo was to "wow" the international buyers as they could help to significantly increase international visitors to the region, which would have a flow-on effect for all tourism operators, retailers, accommodation, hospitality and other service providers.

"International visitors spend $110 million in our region each year on our local products and services and we aim to increase this."

Today, Mr Arrowsmith will be hosting Prime Minister John Key at the last day of the three-day Trenz expo.