Category Archives: Digital Marketing

Our General Manager, Renee headed along to the inaugural SKAL International Auckland event to catch an update from Mick Cottrell on all things Auckland Airport. There was one stat that surprised her, and the team.

North America is currently the only market that has surpassed 2019 capacity levels.

While the rest of the world is still playing catch-up, the US and Canadian markets are officially in “growth mode,” sitting at a 3% increase vs. 2019 and holding steady with 0% YoY growth for the year ending March 2026.

In plain English? The seats are there. The planes are full. And they aren’t just flying Air New Zealand.

It’s not just about the Koru

As Kiwis, we naturally keep a close eye on what Tourism New Zealand and Air New Zealand are doing in-market. They do...

They’re probably not in your 2026 marketing plan. But they should be.

While most tourism businesses focus on websites, SEO, social and paid ads, two of the most influential platforms shaping AI-generated answers are Wikipedia and Reddit.

And as travellers increasingly ask ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI tools where to go and who to book with, these platforms are quietly influencing the results.

Welcome to the era of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).

Wikipedia Builds Credibility

Wikipedia is widely considered one of the most trusted data sources used by large language models. It provides structured, referenced information that AI tools rely on to define and validate businesses.

A strong Wikipedia presence helps AI understand:

• Who you are
• What type of...

Image: Adam Firman

Seems all tourism trend predictions for 2026 are about AI. AI itinerary builders. AI customer service. AI personalisation. AI everywhere.

But here’s the interesting thing. While we debate how AI will transform our tourism, many travellers are quietly moving in the opposite direction.

This is what I’m hearing here in the US. It comes up on chair lifts, at dinner parties and in conversations with people who travel often. It’s what Condé Nast, Vogue and major travel publications are writing about.

As technology becomes more powerful, many travellers are actively choosing trips designed around being offline and slowing down.

Digital detoxes

One of the clearest examples is the rise of digital detox retreats. What used to be a niche wellness offering is...

Everyone knows the basics of SEO: use keywords, write great content, get backlinks, keep your site speedy. But what about the less obvious stuff? Those subtle signals that can give your website a quiet nudge up the rankings while your competitors are still obsessing over meta tags and blog lengths?

Here’s a look at a few clever, lesser-known SEO 'hidden secrets' you might not have thought of, the kind that layer nicely on top of your existing efforts and can make a real difference to your digital visibility.

1. Reply to Google Reviews with Purpose

One of our clients recently asked if adding keywords into their Google review replies helps with SEO, and the short answer is yes, a little!

While Google doesn’t directly score the text in replies the way it does for your...

Definition of a Search Engine

As AI and social media has evolved, “search engine” no longer just means Google. The definition of a search engine is now about how travellers find trust, inspiration, and the confidence to book. Whether that’s through a 30-second TikTok, a Google AI summary, or an AI chat conversation that builds their itinerary - search has become more conversational and human.

Today, “search” happens everywhere. And for tourism businesses, that means you need to know where your potential guests are looking. Let's have a look at where they are searching, and the typical behaviour of different generations.

Google’s Not Gone But It's Evolving

Google still dominates much of the discovery and booking process, but how people use it has evolved. With AI...

Tourism businesses should be on TikTok! The video footage and stories you can share are perfect for this platform with highly visual content that will inspire travellers! Gone are the days of needing to produce and direct professional style promo videos for social media - simply use a smart phone to gather footage and images, use the TikTok built in editors to add music, captions, text overlays and more!

All you need is a content plan to keep it going and use your team on the job to create the content! The main thing to remember with TikTok is to keep videos vertical for mobile (not the traditional horizontal format) 

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