Created as the borders were closing, Stuff’s ‘Back your Backyard’ editorial campaign focuses on showcasing the incredible travel experiences Kiwis can have in their own country.
As Covid-19 has left devastation within the tourism industry, there has never been a more appropriate time to come together and explore New Zealand’s greatest offerings.
Stuff travel editor Trupti Biradar says “It was an unprecedented time for the travel industry, watching countries close and airlines cancel routes. We knew we needed to change focus quickly and that local tourism really needed our support right now.”
Since launching, the campaign has seen a reviving demand in the tourism industry, as well as many jobs saved. Sitting as New Zealand’s number one source for travel news, Stuff received 750,000 visitors to its travel section in April alone, almost four times the nearest competitor.
With an exceptional reach and capability to promote domestic tourism, Stuff began a partnership with Tourism NZ in May, reaching an extensive New Zealand travel audience and encouraging Kiwis to participate in the tourism economy.
General manager domestic at Tourism NZ, Bjoern Spreitzer, says research indicated that during Queen’s Birthday Weekend, over half a million Kiwis got out into their own backyard and supported local tourism.
“We are proud of the tangible impact our partnership with Stuff has had showcasing operators and regions in our backyard, as we leverage our new domestic campaign Do Something New, New Zealand.
“This is only the beginning of our domestic activity and we look forward to working on more activations that drive material results for the regions and industry.”
Acting GM of partnerships and national business director – travel at Stuff, Angela Earl-Donoghue, says the response the campaign has received is a result of the team’s great analytics that indicate which tourism information is relevant to Kiwis.
“Tourism operators have reported a significant impact on business and bookings as a direct result of Kiwis embracing ‘backyard tourism’ and that could not have come at a better time for everyone.
“We’ve had so many small operators reach out to thank us and let us know that the content we are publishing is, quite literally, saving jobs.”
