Tourism Bay of Plenty has rolled out a series of marketing initiatives to support the region's tourism industry.

The Destination Management Organisation's new website, bayofplentynz.com, went live in early March after six months of development with digital agency Maverick Digital.

The organisation says the website will support the region's tourism industry through storytelling and content to entice visitors to the region when it is safe to do so.

Chief Executive Kristin Dunne says the new website will share the Coastal Bay of Plenty's stories with the world, highlighting the reasons to visit to specific target markets identified through extensive research into the region's DNA.

'We needed a platform worthy of the beauty of the Coastal Bay of Plenty to show what makes our special place so unique to future-visitors that we know are going to love it too. I encourage anyone dreaming of an escape to the Bay to visit bayofplentynz.com - you'll fall in love with the Coastal Bay of Plenty all over again."

Tourism Bay of Plenty has also released a new video and marketing campaign specifically for locals that launches today.

The organisation hopes it will encourage Coastal Bay of Plenty locals to feel proud of the region and appreciate what it has to offer and share it with their visiting friends and relatives as the alert levels allow.

'With domestic tourism potentially allowed during alert level two, we're excited to remind locals about all of the amazing places we can visit when it is safe to do so. For your post-lockdown inspiration, visit noplacelikehome.co.nz.”

'We were fortunate to shoot a new video just prior to lockdown and have since reimagined it into a story for our community. It's only right that the first people we share it with are the Coastal Bay of Plenty's biggest fans, our locals.

'We know that many of the Kiwis who choose to holiday in the Coastal Bay of Plenty come to visit friends and relatives, so it makes sense that we inspire locals to share the incredible experiences that they have in their backyard."

Kirsten says that timing the website launch in the wake of COVID-19 means the organisation can support the industry more broadly.

'Our focus is to encourage locals to support tourism as the COVID-19 alert levels allow, and to maintain the Coastal Bay of Plenty's position at the top of many domestic and international would-be traveller's bucket lists.

'When the time is right, we will welcome international visitors back and create magical memories for them once again. Right now, we're focussed on supporting our tourism industry to get through and these marketing initiatives are how we can best do that.”

Tourism Bay of Plenty promotes and develops the tourism industry for Tauranga City, the Western Bay of Plenty and Whakatāne District – the area known as the Coastal Bay of Plenty.