More than 1000 consumers attended the World Travellers Northland Travel & Cruise Expo this week, showcasing the solid travel demand despite ongoing Middle East uncertainty, says North Travel’s Jared Jamieson.
The expo, staged by World Travellers Kerikeri, North Travel Whangārei and World Travellers Mangawhai featured over 30 travel suppliers including head sponsor Cover-More. “What really stood out this year was the quality of the attendees; people came with serious travel plans and very specific questions,” says Jamieson. They were also flexible in planning their trips, particularly for Europe, he adds.
“There’s obviously been a lot of news around the Middle East and airline routing, but travellers are being pragmatic. We saw strong interest from people planning UK and European holidays who were already exploring alternative routes via North America, Canada, or Asia.”
And despite those headlines this week, the organisers reported strong demand for destinations across Asia and the South Pacific, with Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Tahiti, Vanuatu, and Fiji among the most requested, based on enquiries and bookings during the event.
. . . Connection Is Key
World Travellers Kerikeri’s Celia Honiss says the expo continues to play a vital role in connecting regional travellers with global travel brands and expertise; while Caro Lightfoot from World Travellers Mangawhai, says the event highlights the strong travel ambition among Northland residents’. “It was fantastic to see such strong attendance from across the region. Even with global uncertainty in the headlines, people are still incredibly motivated to travel.”
Lightfoot says many attendees were exploring destinations slightly closer to home. “What we saw was a real curiosity about destinations like Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and the South Pacific. Travellers are still thinking big, but they’re also looking at new and exciting options beyond the traditional Europe itinerary.”
