The project partners have been implementing a range of initiatives across all stages of the tourism supply chain.
The actions are targeted at international visitors and in many cases benefit all road users. These initiatives collectively strengthen all parts of the road transport system – infrastructure and speed, vehicles, safe road user choices and system management.
The stages are:
Planning and booking
- An online training module designed to educate overseas travel agents on safe driving messages – available in seven languages (Tourism New Zealand).
- Road safety leaflets included with each New Zealand visitor visa issued in China and India (Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Immigration NZ).
- Road safety information provided to successful applicants for working holiday and student visas (Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Immigration NZ and Waka Kotahi).
- A video presented by Chinese reality star Huang Lei – available via social media (Tourism New Zealand).
- Videos for Chinese, Indian, German and US drivers via Tourism New Zealand international channels including social media/websites (Tourism New Zealand).
- Web resources with safe driving information:
- The Automobile Association’s online visiting drivers training programme is available in six languages (Automobile Association).
- Road safety messages are provided through Tourism New Zealand channels: I-sites, advertising campaigns and other channels as appropriate (Tourism New Zealand).
- Videos and links to Waka Kotahi information for visiting drivers on Air New Zealand’s international websites (Transport Agency, Air New Zealand).
- Tourism New Zealand safer driving campaign in China with leading online car rental platform Zuzuche (Tourism New Zealand).
- Driving in New Zealand booklet in 11 languages (Waka Kotahi).
- Road safety messaging used by New Zealand’s international airports (Waka Kotahi and airports).
- Information in travel guides (Waka Kotahi).
In-flight
- Air New Zealand’s ‘Driving in New Zealand’ app is available on long-haul flights and videos on driving in New Zealand, in a range of languages, are available on all international flights (Air New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand, Waka Kotahi).
On arrival
- Rental vehicle operators’ code of practice - establishes agreed standards and practices for operators to follow when informing visitors about driving in New Zealand. These practices include assessing visitors’ preparedness to drive here and providing safety material such as steering wheel tags and brochures at rental counters. The code is regularly reviewed and promoted to encourage industry uptake (Rental Vehicle Association and Tourism Industry Aotearoa).
- Guidelines for rental vehicle operators (Tourism Industry Aotearoa and Rental Vehicle Association).
- Guidelines for accommodation providers – to help them provide practical driving advice to their guests (Tourism Industry Aotearoa).
- Rental vehicle operators in Queenstown and the West Coast are sharing information about hirers who have had their rental agreements cancelled. Police are working with rental vehicle operators to advise them when a driver should not be allowed to re-hire after being found speeding or driving carelessly (Rental vehicle operators and NZ Police).
- Road safety information provided to overseas licence holders converting to a New Zealand licence (Waka Kotahi, Automobile Association and VTNZ).
- Road safety information provided to people buying a car in New Zealand while on an overseas licence (Waka Kotahi, Automobile Association and VTNZ).
- Road safety information targeted at students who buy or borrow a car (Waka Kotahi).
Rental vehicle operators’ code of practice(external link)
Guidelines for rental vehicle operators(external link)
Guidelines for accommodation providers(external link)
On the journey
- Infrastructure and speed initiatives in the project regions:
- rumble strips, directional arrows, and ‘no passing’ markings
- safety barriers
- car park and rest area upgrades
- electronic speed indicator signs
- improved signage:
- traffic courtesy signs
- more curve advisory signs
- rest area and lookout signs
- keep left signs.
- Visible NZ Police presence on key tourist routes during the summer season (NZ Police).
- Facebook messaging campaigns targeting visitors from all countries at specific times (Tourism New Zealand).
- Qyer’s (China’s #1 outbound travel website) and other mobile media campaigns using location-based targeting at specific times (Tourism New Zealand).
- Roadside checks of rental vehicles as part of commercial vehicle check operations (Waka Kotahi, NZ Police).
- Roadside leaflet for NZ Police to use on their handheld devices to explain key road safety concerns in 11 languages (Waka Kotahi, NZ Police).
- Adjustment of Google Maps travel times to be more reflective of our roads (Waka Kotahi).
- A summer education campaign in the project regions of Otago, Southland and the West Coast.
- The campaign targets visiting drivers from the top six countries in terms of crash statistics - Australia, Germany, China, USA, UK and India. The messages will also reach all visitors to the regions.
- The message NZ Roads are different. Allow extra time appears on billboards and truck and coach backs.
- The other key messages are:
- Remember to keep left.
- NZ roads can be narrow, winding, and steep. Allow extra time.
- Journeys may take longer than you think. Allow extra time.
- Save overtaking for long, clear, straight roads.
- Taking photos? Pull over somewhere safe.
- These messages appear on:
- posters along key visitor routes in locations such as public toilets and cafes
digital screens in petrol stations, hotel lobbies and at international airports
- digital advertising and Facebook posts directed at the target audience while they are on their mobile devices in Southland, Otago or the West Coast.
- A further key message, which specifically targets Chinese visitors as China does not require people to wear safety belts, is Everyone must wear a seatbelt. It’s the law.
The initiatives reflect New Zealand’s key host responsibilities to:
- ensure drivers are well informed; they have made good choices based on their driving experience, correct travel times, speeds, road types and conditions; have chosen a suitable vehicle and are prepared for New Zealand driving conditions
- ensure roads and roadsides support a safe journey and experience, with good rest spots and opportunities for photography stops, and increased safety measures on key tourist routes to protect all road users when a mistake on the road happens
- ensure New Zealand actively looks after its visitors, supporting them to enjoy their experience, and to rescue and care for them when crashes occur.
