Trade Ready Operators Only
Launch of Kiwi North into North America: 5-8 October 2026
Key Information
Six events across four days in three cities will take place from 5th-8th October (Monday-Thursday) in Vancouver, Los Angeles and Dallas. The estimated cost to attend is $5,000 (excluding accommodation) per participant and we are expecting around 300 agents and product managers to register (for your database contacts), with a 70% attendance rate on the day.
Is this right for me?
The North American market is relatively unique in the way it contracts and distributes product - if you are new to selling into the US market I’d recommend viewing the latest insights here. Generally it is for more established operators who are experienced in working with and contracting agents which are higher yield, higher touch and lower volume compared to markets like Australia. It is far more fragmented, with buying decisions likely to sit closer to travel advisors - this means that you may need to work through quite a large number of agents to find the right ones to sell your product.
About the events
In each city, we will run two events - one where you will present to small groups of 5-6 agents per appointment round (estimated 10 rotations) with a hosted lunch during the day, and a more open-format, free-flow event in the evenings. Buyers in the US all have preferences between the two styles, so we are working to cater to both where possible. We will cover destination North Island presentations as a group in a similar way to Australia at the start of the event to set you up for success.
Concerns about cost
The North American market has huge yield opportunities - with the exchange rate and relative costs, working significantly in their favour coming down. Going up however - this means we are faced with the headwinds of exchange rate, high venue and event costs, and the expectations of things like valet parking for participants. While the North American market is highly significant for us, that is true for most tourism bodies - which means they are all willing to spend big to get the right agents at their events.
We are working to make this as viable for as many operators as possible, so if you see opportunities to work together and send one person across multiple products you are more than welcome to. We have also asked in the EOI whether you would like for accommodation to be included - this makes the events easier for you to attend (staying onsite), and saves money when we contract venue + accommodation - but if you would prefer to room share, or stay in alternative accommodation (ie AirBnB) we are happy to look at exploring this option.
About the EOI process
The EOI is now open through to Friday 10th April here. We are looking for between 20 and 35 participants across the motu for this roadshow (around half the number we have accepted for Australia) - and expect demand to exceed places we have available. We will apply a similar process to selection for Australia, and because of this, please do not book flights/accommodation until your place has been confirmed.
| Locations: | Los Angeles, Vancouver and Dallas |
| Format: |
Two events in each city:
|
| Number of Spots available: | Between 20-35 participants |
| Target: | around 150 in-market contacts |
| Participation investment: | around $5,000 NZD (exclude flights & Accommodation) |
