CHRISTCHURCH STUFF

Chch was destination #2 for NZ - the second-most important in our content. Following the February-2011 earthquake, our content was munted. Below is work I did to bring our Chch content back up to scratch. Also, as we found there was something special going on in Chch, the work to get that message out to travellers. (This also had the effect of lifting Chch in some very small way, with media coverage, and possibly encouraged a return to tourism in some degree, helping financially and emotionally. But the reason behind all this was always doing the right thing for the traveller.)

• Coordinated an immediate online update, with the best links we could find to provide up-to-date advice for travellers affected
• As soon as possible after things had begun to return to normal (for travellers, tho not for residents), took advantage of an author's family visit to post a post-quake article online
• Working with the Christchurch & Canterbury Regional Tourism Organisation to make sure our online content and advice was accurate

• Visited Christchurch myself, whizzing around the city by bike to audit our online information, annotating businesses worst-affected, and posting another post-earthquake online update. This trip was the germ of the realisation that something kinda special was happening in Christchurch, and the first time that we started to encourage travellers to return.
• Commissioned extended "first edition" on-the-road research trip for first guidebook update post earthquake, commissioning a third online article, that we evolved into a short guide for travellers. While there was yet no post-quake print guidebook available, almost a year after the quake, this very short guide was travellers' best available guide to the city. BAM!
• Used community to provide their own updates, advice and comments via LP's travel forum (a "sticky" page), which also allowed Chch locals to comment (positively mostly, but there were valid negative comments too) on our efforts.
• BAM!! Got the new Chch guidebook chapter online five months before print publication, for free download. With no other post-quake guidebook content available by any publisher, this meant free updated Chch content was available to anyone who wanted it. We also distributed via RTO and businesses, and covered in local and international media.

• Pitched and successfully argued the case for Chch in Best in Travel 2013. This got huge media coverage, and a huge reaction in NZ. BAM!!!