Tourism NZ enlists YouTube stars to promote NZ

Tourism New Zealand has hosted some of the biggest stars on social media as part of a digital campaign to promote the country overseas.

One of those was YouTube star Louis Cole.

His YouTube channel attracts millions of views, and right now those viewers are hearing about our country.

It’s part of the changing face of marketing New Zealand to the world.

As part of Tourism New Zealand’s online marketing strategy, New Zealand recently hosted a group of video bloggers from around the world.

They’re called influencers, people who have gained a following on social media.

One of those influencers is Cole, known online as Fun for Louis.

“I think it’s a genuine way for people to see things,” he says. “It’s not a high production video. It’s like people are there with me.”

For social influencers like Cole, their daily life consists of travelling the world and documenting their adventures. And it’s not just a lifestyle, it’s their job.

“The whole thing started out as a passion and a hobby, and now that is what is essentially my career I guess, and I’m making money from it. I don’t take that for granted for a second.”

Cole says the Milford Sound was the most beautiful place he’s ever visited, and when he says that he’s saying it to his fan base of more than 1 million people.

“When I endorse something or travel somewhere and tell people about it they are going to listen to me a lot more than a random that pops up.”

While Tourism New Zealand covered Cole’s costs and made sure he experienced the best the country has to offer, he can still say exactly what he likes or doesn’t like about New Zealand.

“The numbers are quite large when you look at what he’s posting, and that’s what we look at,” says Tourism New Zealand’s Andrew Fraser. “We look at their credibility – how many people they are reaching and whom they are reaching.”

More than 400,000 visitors arrived in New Zealand in December last year. That makes it the busiest month ever recorded.

For Cole and other social media stars, that means they’re likely to visit New Zealand a few more times and they’ll be bringing their millions of followers with them.

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Tourism NZ enlists YouTube stars to promote NZ