Internationally Destination Marlborough focuses on targetting travellers from Australia, UK, Europe, USA and Canada  through educating and influencing travel sellers to increase representation and sales of Marlborough product.

Destination Marlborough also encourages New Zealanders to visit and extend their stay, and attend  events. Particular emphasis is placed on stimulating travel in the shoulder seasons.

Destination Marlborough is part of a joint marketing intiative promoting a self drive journey known as the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail.

Over the winter months the emphasis is on marketing Marlborough as a conference, meeting and incentive destination, increasing length of stay of delegates in the reion and encouraging delegates to return to the region as leisure visitors.

Destination Marlborough works with Port Marlborough to support cruise ship visits to the region and coordinate on-shore excursions for visitors.

Every opportunity is taken to support media editorial and filming through story suggestions, hosting and provision of content, images and footage to raise the profile of the region.

PUBLICATIONS

Destination Marlborough produces the ofifically recognised Marlborough Visitor Guide which is distributed extensively throughout New Zealand and to key travel resellers offshore. This is complemented by a comprehensive regional website that creates a platform for tourism operators as well as a call to action for marketing campaign activity.

Marlborough operators support Destination Marlborough activities through annual partnerships, Visitor Guide and website advertising and participation in tactical marketing campaigns. In-kind support is also contributed by tourism operators through media and trade hosting.

For more information on how you can promote your business through Destination Marlborough's publications please download a marketing prospectus from the operator home page.

The shop front of Destination Marlborough is the i-SITE visitor Centres in Picton and Blenheim. These two centres are open every day to assist visitors with travel enquiries and bookings both in the region and for the duration of their time in New Zealand.

Opportunities exist to promote your business in the i-SITEs with brochure display and screen advertising please contact our Centre Supervisors if you are interested - kmetcalf@destinationmarlborough.com  or rholland@destinationmarlborough.com or call 573 9058 ( Picton ) or 577 8821 ( Blenheim )

Destination Marlborough's planning and financial documents for the 2011/12 year below:

• Annual Plan
• Report on Annual Plan
• Destination Malrborough Trust Financials Statements

Destination Marlborough is a not-for-profit Trust governed by a skills based board of six representatives.

Two are appointed by the Marlborough District Council which provides approximately half of Destination Marlborough's funding. The four others are selected by an Appointments Committee which must include one Council appointed trustee and at least two other panelists, external of the organisation, with appropriate skills and experience. The aim is to appoint trustees with the best match of specific skills to complement existing board members. Two trustee positions are appointed each year for a two-year term.

The role of a board is governance, as opposed to involvement in daily operational activities. Board members are responsible for such governance functions as setting the strategic direction for the organisation and ensuring it has good management systems which deliver accountability, fairness and transparency. The board is also responsible for monitoring DM's performance to ensure those standards are met. The role is largely voluntary with trustees receiving $1500 per annum to cover expenses.

Click here for the current board member's profiles.

For more information on the Marlborough Tourism Industry or the NZ Cruise Industry please click on their links.