North America

Kiwi Specialist Program North America

Kiwi Specialist certification is Tourism New Zealand's way of qualifying travel professionals selling Destination New Zealand. The Kiwi Specialist program offers travel professionals the chance to grow their New Zealand sales, build in-depth destination knowledge and get the latest product updates.

Once accredited, your membership will be valid for two years (24 Months). During this time you can ensure your membership will be maintained for the following two year period by fulfilling the maintenance criteria outlined below.

Purpose of the Program

Participation in the program provides a number of advantages to those working in the travel trade:

• Increased knowledge of the regions in New Zealand, including their unique selling points and how to build them into an itinerary
• Improved capability to plan, promote and sell quality New Zealand holidays
• Preferential listing in the Travel Agent section of our consumer website when you register your business on www.newzealand.com when you identify yourself as a Kiwi Specialist
• Priority invitations to Tourism New Zealand events in your region
• A certificate for display, so that customers can see at a glance that you have taken time to research New Zealand as a destination
• Use of the Kiwi Specialist logo for the certification period (2 years), to increase credibility in the marketplace. If you are an existing Kiwi Specialist please visit the E-See website to register for use of the logo.
• Knowledge and confidence to up-sell New Zealand
• Increased profitability and value of New Zealand holiday sales for your business

Who can become a Kiwi Specialist and what is the fee?

• All travel sellers packaging and selling New Zealand
• Managers, product planners and frontline staff of travel companies that plan and sell New Zealand itineraries are eligible to join the Kiwi Specialist program.

Kiwi Specialist accreditation is awarded to individuals. Businesses are encouraged to utilise the Program as a way of ensuring their staff have the most up to date knowledge of Destination New Zealand.

There is no fee to join the program. You will need a valid e-mail address, and access to the internet to complete the online module component of the program.

Criteria - How to become a Kiwi Specialist

Register online on this website and then complete the following criteria:

1. Complete a minimum of 8 online training modules

These can be found in the Training Tools section of this website. On completion of the eight modules, if you are interested in completing your Kiwi Specialist training, please contact your local Kiwi Specialist Coordinator - via the link at the bottom of the page.

2. Attend a Tourism New Zealand training initiative in the past 12 months.

These include one of the following:

• Kiwi Link
• Frontline Training
• In house training
• Familiarisation

Please contact your local Kiwi Specialist coordinator to update them on any training sessions you have done in the past year. If you have not attended a session, you will need to do so before you become eligible for Kiwi Specialist status.

If you are unable to attend a training session please contact your local Kiwi Specialist coordinator to discuss alternative options.

3. Have visited New Zealand within the past three years.

Please email your local Kiwi Specialist coordinator to inform them of any visits you have made to New Zealand in the past three years.

Once you have completed all criteria

You will be sent a certificate for the current Kiwi Specialist period. The certificates expire every two years, at which point you will need to have ensured you have completed the maintenance criteria.

How to Maintain Your Kiwi Specialist Status

At the end of the two year certification period, you’ll be sent a reminder email that your status is about to expire. If you have maintained your training, your membership will be automatically renewed. You can maintain your status by fulfilling the following criteria:

1. Annually complete an online module (i.e. two during your two year certification period)

2. Attend one Tourism New Zealand training initiative per year such as:

• Kiwi Link
• Inhouse Training
• Familiarisation
• Frontline training

Please contact your local Kiwi Specialist coordinator to update them on any training sessions you have done in the past year. If a training initiative can not be attended please contact your local Kiwi Specialist coordinator to discuss alternatives

3. Have visited New Zealand within the last three years.

Please email your local Kiwi Specialist coordinator to inform them of any visits you have made to New Zealand in the past three years.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I receive when I become a Kiwi Specialist?
Once you have attained the status of Kiwi Specialist, you will be sent a certificate, valid for the current two year period, plus access to the Kiwi Specialist logo.

How do I know what modules I have completed and what modules to do to retain my status?
You can login to the Trade website to review the modules you have completed, and choose new ones to do.

How do I keep a record of the training sessions I have attended and when I last visited New Zealand?
You will need to inform your local Kiwi Specialist coordinator if you have travelled to New Zealand or attended any training sessions so they can update your records. Sometimes your records may be automatically updated - for example if you have attended a famil to New Zealand, however it’s always best to check. The best way to do this is via email. Make sure you include the name of the training session, location and date attended, or the dates you visited New Zealand.

I have changed my address, phone number or company - how do I update this information?
Update this information by logging into the Trade website. It is important to keep your contacts updated as that is where we will send your Kiwi Specialist information and certificate. If you have any problems doing this please contact your local Kiwi Specialist coordinator.

How long is my specialist certification valid for?
The certificates are issued every two years and are valid for the following two year period.

Where can I get and use my Specialist logo?
You are able to download and use your Specialist logo from the E-See website and accepting the terms and conditions. We encourage you to use this logo on business cards, brochures and promotional material.

Why can’t I see my listing on www.newzealand.com under NZ Specialists?
Once you have registered on www.newzealand.com (using this link: http://register.nztb.co.nz) your registration will go through a validation process that can take up to 3 weeks. You then need to login and update your listing at least once a year to keep it valid. Otherwise your listing will expire - this is to ensure we do not advertise companies on the website that no longer trade.

What training modules are online?
The key module is called How to Sell New Zealand. This is the first module you should do as the information contained is specific to your market. After that you should work through the nine regional modules before starting on the 'special interest' modules. Go to the Training Tools section to begin.

Key Modules:

1. How to Sell New Zealand
2. Auckland & Northland
3. Pacific Coast Highway
4. Thermal Explorer Highway
5. Western North Island
6. Wellington and Wairarapa
7. Nelson and Marlborough
8. Christchurch, Canterbury & West Coast
9. Dunedin, Coastal Otago & Southland
10. Southern Lakes + Central Otago

For More Questions Contact Your Local Kiwi Specialist Coordinator

For any questions regarding the Kiwi Specialist Program please email your local Tourism New Zealand Kiwi Specialist coordinator in Los Angeles.