Queenstown has the opportunity to globally showcase its position as an international education destination next year after being confirmed as host venue for Australia and New Zealand’s largest education and student travel trade show.
Around 500 participants from 50 different countries are expected to attend the Australia New Zealand Agent Workshop (ANZA) to be held at Queenstown Events Centre from 29 February - 2 March 2012.
Formatted in a similar way to TRENZ*, which was recently held for the first time in Queenstown, the workshop facilitates one-on-one appointments between agencies that send student and edu-travellers to the region and those who provide educational and tourism services at the destination
Attendees are also offered professional development seminars or opportunities to showcase their own programmes, schools, countries and regions.
Destination Queenstown Convention Bureau Manager Kylie Brittain says securing ANZA is a strategic win for Queenstown which represents a ‘coming of age’ for the resort as an edu-tourism destination.
“Education is a major export earner for both Australia and New Zealand and Queenstown is now recognised as a credible international education destination with many options as a place for students to live and learn outside of their home countries.
“Hosting ANZA gives us the opportunity to display our offering to this market niche. It’s an international platform that can promote the resort as a superb study destination,” she says.
Queenstown’s ‘live and learn’ opportunities have been profiled and organised through Study Queenstown, a specialist organisation set up two years ago which brings together the education institutions offering services in Queenstown to provide a one-stop-shop for people considering study in the region.
Study Queenstown spokesperson Charlie Philips says the organisation works hard to present Queenstown as a credible, well established edu-tourism destination.
“Study Queenstown represents all the education providers in the area from secondary school to tertiary and language institutions. We work together to present Queenstown as a serious education destination with organisations that are experienced in hosting, teaching and supporting international students.”
Mr Philips believes hosting the ANZA workshops offers an opportunity for Queenstown to forge new relationships with international agencies and to showcase the synergies between education and tourism.
The 2011 ANZA workshop was held in Royal Pines Resort on Gold Coast and welcomed 519 participants representing 357 organisations from 52 countries with a total of 4582 pre-scheduled meetings taking place over two days.
For more information about The Australia New Zealand Agent Workshop visit www.anzaworkshop.com.
For more information about Queenstown please visit www.queenstown-nz.co.nz.
