1. Backpacker conference 18 September 2009
Qualmark New Zealand Limited
Backpacker conference 18 September 2009

2. Today 5 reasons ..why Qualmark Customer vrs expert rating systems
Future trends

3. 5 reasons 1) Affordability 1-49 beds $470 +GST (It is right…. Geoff)
You should save this with enviro actions that reduce costs
We offer monthly payment options
Should you have to pay more …BBH?
Is there value for money ?

4. Growth

5. Coverage across all sectors
Select
All chain members as average
Assessment score
Nationwide
Same Star Grade
Individual Chain Members
Grade
Region
Selection of Star Grades
Section
All Star Grades
Subsection
Assessment Date Range

6. 2) Visibility Access to the brand of New Zealand
Part of 100% Pure Assurance promotion
Tourism NZ website
Qualmark travel Guide featuring 2,000 accommodation, activity and transport businesses
Data feeds to travel sites/GPS providers
Visibility in i-sites (all Qualmark rated by end of 2009)
But do backpackers look for it……

8. 100% Pure Assurance

9. Other initiatives

10. Around New Zealand

12. 3) Credibility Independent- not for profit organisation – crown entity
Manage 40 sets of criteria developed by industry
Criteria has 500 quality aspects including 120 min req for backpackers – facilities/service/safety/business practices
Membership requirement for ITOC full members/ DOC limited supply concessions/ TIA industry awards/ Ports of Tauranga in 2009/10
But do backpackers care…

13. Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty Tourism and Ports of Tauranga from November 2009 will only sell Qualmark rated businesses to cruise ship customers

14. 4) Usability Business report designed for a tourism business
Backpacker standards not hotel standards
Professional assessors visit 200 businesses every year
Focus on “improvement” discussion/ templates available
So will the backpacker notice…

15. Going Green August 2008 introduced Qualmark Green
All assessments include environmental management criteria
Acknowledgement for actions in energy efficiency, waste management, water conservation, conservation and community

16. Green branding
(Air New Zealand website)

18. 5) Sustainability Responsible tourism … Environmental credentials
Step by step approach…tools…templates...guide
Checklist (Environmental impacts) – action plan – list of initiatives – monitor & measure improvements
Delivers to the New Zealand image..
Backpackers will increasingly look for this…
Challenging times ahead…Differentiation is key…
Making Qualmarked businesses the first choice for travellers

19. Customer rating systems
Valuable important tool
Can be manipulated by competitors
Customers are not fools
Another piece of the puzzle
(location/price/availability….quality…environmental)
Qualmark – we rate it

21. Future trends
Backpackers will travel and look for valuable experiences
“She’ll be right” or lets get it right
Telling the New Zealand story….telling it well
Using responsible tourism to be responsible
International profiling of Qualmark over the next month includes booths at international travel shows in Thailand and Singapore with poster display of the attached PDF file.  These include the NATAS Travel Fair in Singapore from 26 Febrary to 1 March and the Thai International Travel Show in Bangkok from 27 February to 1 March. 
Further to that Qualmark, new '100% Pure Assurance' imagery (see image attached) will be displayed at the Tourism New Zealand booth at the Travel XPO in Sydney on 14 and 15 March and Melbourne on 21 and 22 March and Kiwilink North America (Vancouver, Los Angeles).  The new AA Qualmark Travel Guides will also be distributed. 

23. The future