ITI Articles

International Travel College (ITC) students made the most of an opportunity to showcase their skills and gain valuable industry knowledge at the recent TRENZ tradeshow.

Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand (TRENZ) is New Zealand’s largest annual international tourism tradeshow run by the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand (TIANZ). The prestigious event is an invite-only exhibition for those in the travel and tourism industry. TRENZ provides an opportunity for New Zealand tourism operators to showcase our unique destination to overseas tour operators and drive future business.

ITC was approached to provide students to assist during the four-day show and work closely with TIA staff to ensure TRENZ was a success. Fifteen students were selected and given the chance to experience the full range of roles at the event including meeting and greeting delegates, answering general queries and giving directions, helping with the set up and pack-out of expo sites, assisting media, even ensuring the water stations around the site were well stocked.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for our students,” said ITC Campus Manager Michelle Chatfield. “Working alongside representatives from all sectors of the airline, travel and tourism industry, students get to see what they are trained for and meet potential employers.” 

ITC’s students certainly made the most of this fantastic opportunity to liaise with both local and international tourism professionals; in return they received TRENZ goodies and a valuable reference for their CV. 

The highlight for three of the students was meeting Prime Minister John Key.  “He came over to us and asked us where we were from and was very interested that we were studying tourism. He said it was great that we were helping out and doing such a good job to ensure that this event was a success for the New Zealand tourism industry,” said Benjamin Li Shing.

TIA Events and Sponsorship Coordinator, Louisa Jepsen, was delighted with the students’ assistance at the event: “I would like to thank you for all of the time you spent sourcing and educating the great students that were involved in the TRENZ Student Programme.  They were enthusiastic and motivated to pick up any task that they were required to complete.”