Why Singaporeans are a lucrative bunch for Air New Zealand

Earlier this month, Air New Zealand launched its first ever brand campaign targetted at Singaporean. The spot wanted to show travellers why the airline is “A better way to fly to New Zealand". Speaking to Marketing, Air New Zealand’s head of South & Southeast Asia Jenni Martin said that the airline has been seeing a growing number of Singaporean travellers choosing to visit New Zealand, and the airline jumped on that to establish itself with the campaign.As of October 2018, she added, New Zealand has recorded over 40,000 holiday arrivals from Singapore, marking a 7% increase year-on-year. To meet this growing demand, the airline also launched a new third daily Singapore-Auckland flight last year and will start operating a new five times weekly Singapore-Christchurch service from 1 Dec 2019 to 22 Feb 2020.Moreover, insights from Visa also highlighted ranked Singaporeans top when it comes to travellers in Asia Pacific- be it for business or pleasure. Skyscanner’s data added that New Zealand ranks amongst Singaporeans’ top five dream countries to visit, and 31% highlighted that the key motivator in picking the destination is based on natural wonders.Developed and driven by Air New Zealand, as part of the campaign, the airline has in place an integrated, multi-platform marketing strategy to promote the campaign in Singapore. This includes digital OOH in the CBD area across a network of 500 office buildings and cinema buys.In addition, it also has an exclusive TVC broadcasted on Channel NewsAsia, and it optimised its digital (social and display) and print buys in mainstream media. Air New Zealand has also developed a range of Pete collaterals including Chinese New Year red packets, paper bags and New Zealand itineraries, which will be distributed to trade and media partners. Martin further added that Air New Zealand will be introducing a social media contest on 14 February 2019, for participants to win a pair of Economy round trip tickets to Auckland. The airline will continue to offer competitive fares and pricing throughout the year, in a bid to draw more visitors from Singapore to New Zealand.She added,Consumers today look for greater personalisation and authentic travel experiences.According to global research company Euromonitor, consumers are also demanding more flexibility in their travel experience as they value convenience above all else. As such a focus on personalisation and user-friendly technology has enabled Air New Zealand to provide consumers with improved mobility and a more “seamless” travel experience. This includes working with a range of technology partners to introduce innovations that she claimed has gained acclaim from travellers and approval from the industry.The airline made its first foray into the field of artificial intelligence two years ago, with the launch of its chatbot Brave Oscar Tango. The chatbot is able to assist customers with commonly asked queries, saving time and offering a more personalised experience. The airline’s mobile app also allows travellers to stay up-to-date on their flight details and bookings. App users will also receive notifications of any changes as well as weather updates and information about destinations.Martin highlighted that a popular feature amongst travellers is the coffee ordering function, which remembers users’ preferences and invites them to order their beverages at the touch of a button whenever they enter the lounge.“We are also developing exciting new experiences with Magic Leap, which will highlight the dramatic, diverse landscapes and activities that make New Zealand a unique tourism destination. This first-time experience is part of our longer-term programme committed to redefining air travel,” Martin said.