My marketing was unsuccessful yet we will increase sales!

I spent all the winter months rebuilding the website and really doing a marketing push into Asian countries we have traditionally been strong with. In particular China. But despite favourable comments where-ever we targeted we have seen, nor look like seeing any business from it except maybe in the very long term.

Have I lost my skills I ask myself? I don’t believe so and if anything I have improved. So what I now believe has happened is that despite our strength with current business in the Asian market just maybe its not our best growth potential.

The 2017/18 tour season sees us with mainly business out of England. Possibly one tour out of China but that if it happens is a referral. On one hand we should be happy as I believe turnover will be up over 33% but its not where we spent so much time and effort targeting.

There is also frustration as we made very good contact and were costing tours for several agents and they decided it was time to change employ and in one case have a baby. So its start again.

Our website since I launched the new one in Feb/March this year is growing with hits month on month. October is our highest month yet and we hit that record back on the 21^st of the month. To a certain degree that should be expected as summer approaches. I do like the statistical information I can get from the new website. I believe figures although lower than our old website, are more quality rather than quantity.

Google keeps contacting us to run an ad-words campaign but past experience says that all that achieves is huge hits, but no business. So we will keep with our marketing ways but maybe start looking at markets outside Asia for growth.

The accommodation business Ninety Mile Beach continues to coast along. We have put no effort into growing down periods which have great potential for growth as it taxes our resources far to much. And in the far north of New Zealand it is hard to find the staff we require unless we offer them full time jobs. That at this point of time we do not wish to do. Still hoping a buyer may come along and relieve us of that business. A great business with huge potential but we just don’t have the time or energy with the tour business plus farm to run, to also grow the accommodation.

Another 2 weeks and I am constantly on the road. Trying hard to complete projects that need my input before I disappear. Tomorrow its beach fishing time. Important if you work hard, you must also find the balance and take time out to recharge the batteries. For Xiaoli and I that’s fishing. She will join my mate on the bluff 50km up the beach why I go even further north with the kite and long line. For me I will take several of my dogs with me for company. They love running on the beach and when I talk to them, they don’t talk back. Sometimes that’s nice.

This afternoon its build Xiaoli some box gardens with fences around to keep her poultry out hopefully. She wants to plant more bulbs so she has flowers to enjoy but also ulterior motive, grow more bulbs for eventual sale next season. Her aim is when we have sold the accommodation she manages, to grow her seed and bulb sales nationwide. Turn what has been a hobby to date into a business which she enjoys.

www.peterandxiaoli.com

PS If you want to buy the accommodation business, speak to us. Look at those views! And in those waves are the Snapper!

I must be getting soft in my old age

I just posted an advert on Trade Me for a 7 day South Island New Zealand tour at an exceptionally good cost of $1700 per person but added a bonus offer of a trip back to Auckland. That is an exceptionally good offer.

November 13 sees the start of an 18 day tour with a group from England. The consultants that booked us maintains the only ever use tour guides that are considered within the top 5% in the industry. Not sure how they ascertained we fall within the top 5% but who am I to complain. We are rated highly, I know that but I am just not sure how you would know we fall in the top 5% in our profession. I guess somehow they must research that.

I look forward to touring with a group from England. Actually this summer have 3 groups from the UK. In my years doing tours I guess we have never targeted the UK market so never had English tourists on the long haul tours. It will make a nice change as our specialty seems to be the Asian market. Probably because we do target that market in particular China with Xiaoli being Chinese.

On conclusion of the 18 day tour I have 20 days up my sleeve before the next long tour starts plus our tour vehicle will be in Christchurch so why not offer a good deal on a South Island tour before I return north. The bonus is they are welcome to join me as I head back north as long as they cover their own costs on route. It is a damn long way back to Auckland or in my case 5 hours further in the very far north. But some great experiences on route starting with the ferry trip. Just hoping to get to the ferry from Christchurch the No 1 highway is open again to traffic or it is going to add even more hours to the journey. The No 1 being closed after Kaikoura through earthquake damage.

I am ready for the tour season to start proper again. I am rested. I am in the mental frame of mind ready to tour. I guess getting bored with admin over winter as I drive the marketing and get financials in order. I have caught my share of fish when weather has allowed. I am sure the fish will be happy to know I am working again.

Fishing, a sport I love. Its not always about catching the fish, its also about getting out and doing it. Catching the fish is a great reward but sitting on rocks or in the boat with line out is a very good way to unwind. Let the problems of the world just sail on past. I love it. Too old to play rugby now but fishing I can hopefully do until the day I die. And hopefully that’s many years off yet.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1447488529&ed=true

www.peterandxiaoli.com

Today I was very disappointed – Bloody angry

Holiday makers had checked out of 2 of our 3 units after 2 nights and left our kitchen and bathroom areas disgusting. Pigs is all I can say.

Three familys rented 2 units. Against Xiaoli’s better judgement and without my knowledge, they had bought with them a cat. We do not normally allow pets despite the fact we are known animal lovers. Xiaoli had told them the cat would need stay in the studio unit and I assume it did. I was greeted with kitty litter spread over the bathroom floor and out into the carpeted area. I was not impressed.

The main unit upstairs the bedrooms were fine. The bathroom floor was disgusting. Absolutely filthy.

The kitchen well I don’t know where to start. The floor. Unbelievable. The bench and stove. The previous nights dinner dishes unwashed. 2 large pots of food on the stove, one with food burnt to the bottom.

Xiaoli had received a call 11.30am to say there was a power cut and they were soon leaving. Hang on I said to Xiaoli, why are they still there? We are rigid on check out time of 10.30 with very prominent notices in the units but I guess since we don’t live there they didn’t feel a need to leave early.

The power cut the neighbour tells me was very brief. So people you were just pigs. I would never leave somewhere leaving it like you did. Take it for granted you are banned from returning. I just wish now on Sunday I had not towed you off the beach. I should have just left you stranded watching the tide come in around your car.

I am angry. That used to be my house I lived. It still is a house I have very fond memories of and a love in my heart for. Today I had tears in my eyes. I literally went around the house turning all lights off. Turned off 2 towel rails, even a heater and here we are mid spring. I am running around in shorts and tee shirts. Then I left. I guess I need calm down and confront again tomorrow.

You whoever you were, were just ungrateful pigs. I hope someone one day treats your house like you did ours

www.peterandxiaoli.com

My last Ninety Mile Beach 4wd tour for 2017. From now on its the lower half of New Zealand 18 day plus tours to see 2017 out

Today I took a group of 6 from Guangxi China on a 4wd tour up Ninety Mile Beach to Cape Reinga. The day started with me having to tow customers of ours staying in the beach accommodation, of the beach. Idiots despite Xiaoli telling them yesterday never double checked tides and were in 2wd’s. Idiots is all I can say. Fortunately they never made it through the soft sand to get on to the beach proper. Had they got through they would then have been caught out by the incoming tide with no where to go. No other words except damn idiots.

My group were with me and Xiaoli in our 2 4wd’s and we were headed up the road as we had done our homework and checked the tides. First stop was at Houhora Heads where we looked out to the Pacific Ocean. Smiles were on all faces and at the stop I managed to sort out who spoke ok English so they could sit up front and translate for me. At that stage Xiaoli had not caught up so all 6 were with me. Xiaoli caught up at Rarawa Beach along with a couple of German hitch hikers she had picked up that were heading for the Cape as well.

Rarawa a beautiful white silica sand beach. Tide had receded enough for us to get the vehicles on the beach. Some very happy customers sitting behind me. From Rarawa it was on to the ice cream shop. I wish I had not partaken as it meant no lunch for me. In hindsight I would have preferred the lunch.

Gave them 1 hour for the walk to the light house. Much more than needed but there was no rush to get to Ninety Mile Beach as low tide was later afternoon. From what I hear they loved the walk. I chose to wait in the car. Have walked that walk many a time. Didn’t see the need to do it today.

Off to the sand dunes so they could have a play on the sand boards. Warned them well how to slide down the sand hopefully avoiding broken bones. Told them it may be painful breaking the bone but not as painful as the one and a half hour drive to civilisation and a hospital will be. Obviously they took not. No broken bones today.

Had the drone with me and finally away from the wind that made me hesitate using it earlier. But for the life of me, I could not get the imagery to show on the cell phone. So as much as I could fly it, I could not take photographs as for whatever reason the drone was not talking to the phone. Bugger. Worse I was to find out was happening on the camera issue later.

From the dunes it was down to the beach. Multiple stops including one to gather Tua Tuas (cousin to the Pipi). My guests were looking forward to eating a feed tonight yet not one came in the water with me to gather them. That surprised me so I collected enough for a one wok cook up. No need to freeze out in the water if they are not going to join me.

From there it was check them into the motor camp where they were booked for the night, our accommodation being full. Xiaoli and I washed the 4wd’s with the high pressure hoses. Once complete we bring them back to the farm where I decide to download the many photos I took on my large Canon camera. Disaster!!!! The SD card must be faulty. Not one image on the card and older ones there now corrupt. Bugger. Not a day for cameras

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

Sashimi yesterday, crays today

The things I force myself to eat and to think I am just a poor person on the pension. Yeah I know, yeah right.

Poor maybe in that we don’t have ready cash but yes we have assets and a tour guide when I can be bothered to push the business does okay. But sashimi and crays come about because a number of years ago I jumped in the deep end by leaving city life and heading to the provinces. No set plans except I knew I loved fishing so picked an area that I knew going fishing was not hard to do.

In the big smoke (city) you cannot buy genuinely fresh fish for sashimi. Reality if fish shops and supermarkets sell fish that was caught out at sea a minimum of 24 hours prior and reality a number of days prior. Packed in salt ice until the trawlers are loaded up and ready to come back to port.

We are lucky Xiaoli and I, we both love fishing so we can enjoy our sashimi 1 to 2 hours after we catch it. We reality is sometimes we slice it and enjoy while still out fishing. Sometimes we forget that in the store for Snapper you pay $30 to $40 a kilogram yet in our house it is abundant. On occasions if we have to much even for us we deliver to the elderly in our local town.

Xiaoli and I try to be self sufficient in life. Grow our own vegetables. Obviously catch fish. We run about 50 plus hens, numerous ducks, geese etc etc. Our food supply is well taken care of.

The crayfish was tonights dinner. A gift from a friend who sets his own pots from time to time. We have pots also but never seem to get around to setting them.

My recommendation to everyone, leave the cities and explore what life offers in the provinces. If you need the cities for work, then start spending weekends further afield.

Prior to me moving to the far north of New Zealand I bought a caravan at parked it at a campsite at Pakiri, north of Auckland. Every Friday night we would head there. Stay there until 5pm Monday morning, then head back to Auckland for work. A great lifestyle. Every week it made work life easier and you had the weekend to look forward to.

Often the weekends were walking the long beach there. Sometimes surf casting, sometimes catching crabs. Sometimes just collecting shells. Weather conditions permitting, sometimes it was night spearing for flounder. But importantly we had a ‘life’. No longer tied to the city. We had weekends we couldn’t wait to come around so we could disappear again. The friends became closer friends as we would tell them to join us for the weekend. Rent a motel or cabin at the camping grounds. Live ‘life’.

During the day if we are tired of the beach head to the local farmland, find watercress and other greens that grow freely. Worst scenario, visit a local vineyard. Downside to that was having to dress up.

We are lucky to be able to enjoy our fresh fish and Crayfish. But then we can because we chose a lifestyle that allows us time to harvest our own food on our doorstep. And have fun doing the harvesting. Life is what we make it.

People say to me ‘where’s our meaning their fish’? The same place ours was. In the sea. Buy yourself a rod and reel. It doesn’t need be expensive and go catch your own fish. Believe it makes a fun and rewarding day. Sometimes you wont catch any fish, but it doesn’t matter as the day would be enjoyable anyway

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com