• by Sara Guaglione , February 20, 2019

This is the second year National Geographic has collaborated with the tourism marketing organization, but this year, the campaign is expanding globally, as well as focusing on different regions of the country, with new hosts and trade program.

“Last year’s partnership with Bryce Dallas Howard led to an additional 1.5 million U.S. travelers planning and booking travel to New Zealand,” stated Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen England-Hall. (Howard, the actress and director, was the face of the partnership last year.)

“We also saw an increase of 11% in U.S. visitor spend, so we are confident this kind of quality influencer marketing is working.”

This year’s five-month campaign will span across National Geographic’s digital, social and print properties, with over 100 content pieces. It will also be shared across Tourism New Zealand’s digital channels.

The campaign will reach beyond the U.S. and Canada this year, into Brazil, Germany, the U.K., Australia and India, in local and international language editions, including German and Portuguese.

As well as featuring images of New Zealand’s scenery, the campaign highlights the local culture of welcoming and hosting, known by Kiwis as “manaakitanga,” “an indigenous Maori concept representing a unique style of hospitality, generosity, and kindness,” according to a statement.

A branded, digital content series from National Geographic Travel features contributing editor Heather Greenwood Davis, photographer Erika Larsen and illustrator Christoph Niemann experiencing manaakitanga and exploring the connections between New Zealand’s people, land and culture.

The campaign will take them to areas like Kaikoura and the Bay of Plenty.

New Zealand's tourism board and National Geographic Partners, the joint venture between National Geographic and 21st Century Fox that owns Nat Geo’s TV channels and media-related businesses, will also produce a matching digital campaign across the travel trade website.

Six travel advisor influencers from the U.K., Germany, and the U.S. star in a social media campaign for the site, and a series of training videos of their own experiences with manaakitanga.