Features > Training & Education New software to tap into tourism Thursday, 03 May 2007 The Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) has launched a business building tool for the country’s 8000 tourism operators — a CD and software called Tourism in Action — resources for successful tourism businesses. The Small Business Company Ltd, based in Christchurch, developed the CD. It is believed to be the first such business improvement tool developed for the particular needs of a specific sector, says TIA chief executive Fiona Luhrs. Eight modules cover developing an idea into a product ready for discerning international travellers and assessing business performance, through to promoting a business in its target markets and lifting the quality of the product to world class standards. The CD user’s thoughts and ideas can be entered into an action plan, which can then be printed or saved to their computer’s hard drive. The CD is a resource users can return to repeatedly. The new Tourism in Action CD is available free to TIA members. TIA has also launched a companion workbook, “Tourism in Action – a guide to starting and developing your tourism business”. This has been developed to help people make informed decisions on whether they have what it takes to operate a successful tourism business. The workbook contains recent examples of best business practice plus information on meeting regulatory requirements, setting quality standards and planning marketing, distribution and sales. “Creating and developing sustainable businesses is vital to the long-term success of New Zealand’s multi-billion dollar tourism industry. TIA hopes these resources will help achieve that aim,” Luhrs says. Both resources have been developed in association with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. Tourism is New Zealand's single largest export sector and contributed $8.1 billion dollars to the economy in the year ended March 2005, ie, 18.7 per cent of exports. Domestic tourism contributes $9.4bn to the economy each year.