The 24th of October 2026 marked two years since I moved back to California after 30 years in New Zealand. Since over half my life has been in New Zealand, I am equal parts Kiwi and American (even though my accent may say differently).
Since arriving back, I've been captivated by what Americans are obsessed with; politics, where they/their children went to University, where they are travelling next, the last book read, podcast or movie (everything is about the Elizabeth Holmes movie right now).
Post-Covid and now thanks to AI, what they think about travel is truly fascinating. I've noticed some interesting contradictions and emerging trends around travel.
We're using machines to make travel more human. Go...
If Facebook and Instagram are part of your tourism marketing strategy, there's a new development worth keeping an eye on.
Meta has introduced Meta One, a subscription service offering additional tools, AI features and account management capabilities for creators and businesses across its platforms. The aim is to help businesses build their online presence, grow their audience and manage customer interactions more effectively.
But what does this mean for tourism businesses, and is it worth paying for? Let's take a look at what's on offer and where the new features could make a difference.
What is Meta One?
Announced in September 2026, Meta One introduces paid subscription plans for individuals, creators and businesses across Meta's apps, including Facebook, Instagram...
As more travellers turn to AI to plan their holidays, tourism businesses face a new challenge: making sure they can be found and recommended by AI-powered search platforms.
Research from global travel industry authority Phocuswright found that 56% of active U.S. travellers had used AI for trip planning, booking or assistance in the past 12 months, up from 33% in the first half of 2025.
In response to this shift, we have launched a free AI Visibility Audit Tool, designed specifically for the tourism industry.
“Tourism businesses have spent years working hard to appear on page one of Google. Now travellers can ask AI to recommend somewhere to stay or something to do without ever asking Google or clicking on a tourism website” says Renee Goodsell, General Manager at...
Wellness tourism has traditionally conjured up images of luxury spas, yoga retreats, meditation sessions and five-day detox programmes, but that picture is changing.
Today, wellness is becoming much broader. Travellers are looking for ways to slow down, reconnect with nature, sleep better, spend meaningful time with others, move their bodies, disconnect from technology and simply return home feeling better than when they left.
That means wellness tourism isn't just an opportunity for dedicated wellness retreats, it could be an opportunity for almost every type of tourism business.
For accommodation providers, it might be about creating an environment that supports deep rest. For an adventure operator, it could be about the wellbeing benefits of being active outdoors. For a...
It’s easy to see why this myth feels true. In tourism, reviews can have a huge influence on booking decisions. Guests want reassurance that the accommodation, attraction or experience they’re considering will live up to expectations.
Even for consistently great tourism businesses however, a bad review can come in - it happens! It's natural to worry about whether everyone is going to see it, believe it and decide to book somewhere else.
While a negative review feels like a very public black mark, customers don’t expect businesses to be perfect, and they certainly don’t expect every guest to have exactly the same experience.
The good news is that, if handled well, negative reviews can be turned around to actually make your business look more credible. What future guests are...
China remains one of the most important international tourism markets for both New Zealand and Australia. But the opportunity is changing. The Chinese traveller of today is not necessarily looking for the same experience, using the same channels or travelling in the same way as the Chinese visitor of a decade ago.
Travel is becoming more independent. Digital platforms are playing a bigger role in inspiration and decision-making. And for tourism operators in New Zealand and Australia, there is another opportunity that is particularly interesting: reaching Chinese-speaking travellers who are already living in this part of the world.
For operators who have traditionally viewed China as a complex or expensive market to enter, this creates an opportunity to rethink the...
