House of Travel Te Awamutu is this month celebrating 35 years of operation, as the current team reflects on the changing traveller demands.
Speaking on the anniversary, consultant Tania Wheeler says the team loves the Te Awamutu community, which she adds, is full of intrepid travellers who are always looking for something new.
She says word of mouth plays a huge role in smaller communities. “The minute someone comes home from an amazing trip, everybody else wants to know about it. That’s always been one of the strongest travel influences in a town like Te Awamutu.” As for how times have changed, Wheeler says the locals are increasingly looking for options that combine convenience with flexibility, with demand for bike-and-barge holidays and active cycling itineraries growing.
River cruising is also making gains. Wheeler says when she started in 2012, river cruising was barely on the travel radar in Te Awamutu.
“It was seen as expensive and exclusive but today it’s something like one in every $10 spent in store is on river cruising.”
