The Backpacker Youth and Adventure Tourism Association (BYATA) has teamed up with Hospitality New Zealand (Hospitality NZ) to enhance efforts aimed at attracting Working Holiday Visa (WHV) travellers to New Zealand. This partnership seeks not only to advocate for policies that will better support WHV visitors but also to assist the businesses that rely on them for staffing and revenue.
WHV travellers are an integral part of New Zealand’s economy, playing two essential roles. First, they serve as a critical workforce, filling vital positions across the hospitality, tourism, and other industries. Secondly, they contribute significantly as customers, frequenting backpacker accommodation, adventure tourism operators, and local businesses in regional areas. These visitors help stimulate the economy in both direct and indirect ways.
Recent research conducted by BYATA, in collaboration with Visa Consulting & Analytics, highlights the significant impact of WHV travellers. It reveals that for every visitor, more than 1.2 local jobs are supported, and each dollar spent by a youth traveller generates an additional $1.40 in regional economic activity. These figures underscore the value of WHV holders not only as contributors to the workforce but also as vital consumers who keep many businesses afloat.
The collaboration between BYATA and Hospitality NZ aims to address the need for a stronger and more targeted marketing campaign aimed at attracting WHV travellers, particularly from Australia and other key markets. Both organizations are advocating for Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) to focus on this market with greater intensity. Furthermore, they are calling for government policies that will ensure the continuous flow of WHV travellers into the country, which will ultimately benefit the entire tourism sector.
Haydn Marriner, the Chair of BYATA, emphasizes the essential role that WHV travellers play in New Zealand’s youth and adventure tourism industries. He explains that these visitors don’t just pass through the country as tourists; they live, work, and travel extensively during their stay. Their presence is crucial to the survival of many youth-focused operators, such as backpacker hostels and adventure tourism providers, many of which would struggle without their support.
Marriner points out that the backpacker sector, adventure tourism operators, and businesses in regional areas depend heavily on WHV travellers to function smoothly. With their absence, many businesses would face significant challenges, especially in areas outside major cities where these visitors are often the backbone of the local workforce.
Sam MacKinnon, the Head of Communications & Advocacy at Hospitality NZ, shares a similar viewpoint, highlighting the hospitality sector’s reliance on WHV holders. He notes that these travellers are not only essential workers in roles such as bartenders, kitchen staff, and servers but also serve as customers who frequent cafes, bars, and restaurants. In essence, WHV travellers fuel the hospitality industry, both as employees and consumers.
MacKinnon stresses that the hospitality sector thrives due to the presence of working holiday visa holders, who help ensure that businesses can remain open and continue to offer services to the public. By partnering with BYATA, Hospitality NZ aims to present a unified voice advocating for greater investment in campaigns to attract more young travellers to New Zealand.
The collaboration between BYATA and Hospitality NZ has been formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This agreement lays the groundwork for continued joint advocacy, focusing on improving policies related to the WHV programme. Additionally, the partnership will work on creating campaigns that highlight the significant economic and cultural contributions made by WHV travellers.
One of the primary goals of this partnership is to engage more actively with the industry. Both organizations aim to ensure that their members are directly involved in shaping solutions that will enhance the WHV programme. This will include engaging stakeholders in efforts to provide support and encouragement for WHV holders and ensuring that they are welcomed into the community.
BYATA and Hospitality NZ remain committed to ensuring that WHV travellers are not only welcomed into New Zealand but are also supported and celebrated as integral parts of the country’s tourism future. The two organizations have pledged to continue working together to advocate for policies that will strengthen the WHV pipeline, ensuring that New Zealand remains an attractive destination for working holiday visa holders.
Through their combined efforts, BYATA and Hospitality NZ hope to bring about a positive change that will benefit the tourism sector, regional businesses, and the WHV travellers who contribute to New Zealand’s vibrant economy. The tourism and hospitality industries in the country will no doubt continue to rely on these visitors as they play a pivotal role in sustaining and growing the economy.
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