Tracey Green: Destination Marlborough general manager on the ferry disruptions gaining international concern

New Zealand's growing a reputation among the global tourism industry for its difficult inter-island travel. 

Industry workers who attended the world's leading travel trade show in Berlin have made claims that ferry disruptions are leaving tourists and travel companies wary about the possibility of getting stuck while here.  

Destination Marlborough general manager Tracey Green says it's now a common concern. 

"It's something that we try to ignore, but unfortunately the drum is getting a little bit louder as time goes on - and as more events occur with the Cook Strait crossing." 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
New Zealand is apparently starting to get a reputation overseas
for how hard it can be to travel between the
North and South Islands. A tourism operator who attended the
ITB Berlin Trade Show, which is one of the world's
largest tourism events, said it was being discussed quite openly.
They say a key concern for visitors is the risk
of being stuck because of fairy disruptions. Tracy Green is
the general manager of Destination Marlborough and with US high.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Tracy, Hi, head, how are you to know?

Speaker 1 (00:25):
I'm very well, thank you. Is this what you're hearing?
This is being discussed offshore?

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yeah, look at absolutely is. It's something that we try
to ignore, but unfortunately it's the drummers getting a little
bit louder as time goes on and is more events
occur with the cook straight crossing.

Speaker 1 (00:41):
Okay, So who was discussing at overseas? At what level
is this being discussed?

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Look, it's been discussed at a level of what we
call inbound operators or wholesalers, so people that sell travel
onto other travel agencies and then further on to the consumer.
So it's picking up momentum from the sheer factor. Some
of these operators have been really challenged by the events
that occurred this year, and it's front of mine.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
Is this for us make or break? Or are they
still going to send people to New Zealand. They're just
going to say if you want to go between the
two islands, you've got to fly. You cannot rely on
the fairies.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
Look, that's a good question. I don't think it's make
or break, and there is definitely a concern, especially when
it comes to group travel traveling across the Cook Straight.
It's very difficult to reorganize a twenty passenger trip in
the height of a summer season. But for what we
call the ft traveler or the independent traveler, the Cook

(01:38):
Straight Ferry is an iconic trip and one that many
people put on their bucket list when they're coming to
New Zealand. So I don't think it will disappear. It's
just frustrating and disappointing for those that are impacted by
the disruptions.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
How much of a problem is it for Marlborough itself,
Like how do people get to Is it predominantly coming
across the ferry from Wellington or is it coming up
the South Island?

Speaker 2 (02:00):
It's a mixture, but we are definitely a key connector.
The Cookstraight is a key connector for those longer itineries
that head in from Auckland and then they fly out
of either christ Stretch or Queens Down. But it's hard
to put an absolute number on it, but it definitely is.
It is a concern. But we are still seeing really
strong numbers on both the Into Islander and the Blue

(02:22):
Bridge and it's really hard to predict how much of
a disrupted these conversations are causing. It's just an uncomfortable
conversation to be having because we don't like to hear
things that put a dampener on people coming to Marlborough
and even to the top of the South.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, I mean for tourret for you guys. I would
imagine the bigger risk is not that people are obviously
you need to fear, as we've discussed, you need a
fear bit of money to come out here anyway, So
you're going to catch a plane, You're not going to
catch the fairy. It seems to be the bigger problem
is that the idea catches on that we're a bit
third world. Is that a problem?

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yes, it is. Look at it is only a problem
that if it does catch on, it's going to be
very hard and very difficult for us to turn that
momentum around. And it started with the twenty twenty three
disruption and it's kind of building a little bit of momentum.
And look, we can't wait for those fairies to get here,
those new fairies to get here. It's unfortunate that they're

(03:20):
not coming this year, but we're looking down the barrel
of twenty twenty nine when we'll have those new fairies
and hoping that that solves some of the problem. But
between now and then, there's a lot of work that
we have to do as a region, being Marlborough but
also at the top of the South has to continue
to promote the destination for people to see above and
over this cooks straight issue because it's not always it's

(03:43):
not always a problem, it's occasionally a problem.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
Yeah, hey, thank you, Tracy has always appreciate your time.
Tracy Green, General Manager, Destination Marlboro. For more from Hither
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