Discover South Canterbury Trade Ready & Visitor Guides

Trade Ready Guide

Official Visitor Guide ebook

For Local Tourism Operators - Being Trade Ready

“Trade Readiness” is a tourism trade term which basically means the work you need to do to prepare your business to engage professionally with different players in the tourism wholesale distribution chain, such as Inbound Tour Operators (IBOs), Professional Conference Organisers (PCOs) cruise wholesalers and others. Most companies in the business of promoting and selling New Zealand tourism product on a large scale in both domestic and offshore markets will require you to demonstrate that your business is “trade ready” prior to seriously considering your product, experience or service.

Trade Ready tourism operators:
• have a proven understanding of tourism distribution channels, the role of the travel wholesaler and commission structures
• offer both retail and commissionable (wholesale) pricing
• can demonstrate investment and ongoing commitment to product development
• have experience in international marketing and meeting the needs of international clients
• have a quality rating (where relevant) via an independent accreditation body (e.g. QualMark, AA, Motel Association, Hotel Association)
• have a professional and up to date website
• have professional sales collateral (e.g. brochures, business cards)

Contact katerina@southcanterbury.org.nz to find out more about tourism trade readiness or how to work with the international tourism wholesale market.