MUMBAI, 27 March 2025: Tourism New Zealand has selected Thomas Cook (India) Limited and its Group Company, SOTC Travel, to showcase the destination in a fresh “gaming” format.
The joint marketing campaign coincides with the launch of the upcoming “A Minecraft Movie”, shot in New Zealand (partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures and Mojang Studios) to create a world-first destination Minecraft DLC (downloadable content), inviting users to ‘play’ New Zealand in game mode.
With over 300 million copies sold, Minecraft is the best-selling video game ever. The innovative joint marketing collaboration with Tourism New Zealand will reach Thomas Cook and SOTC’s young Indian consumer base, which actively engages with Minecraft. The campaign creatives offer a teaser of the game, set against vibrant backdrops and experiences in New Zealand, including Waitomo Caves (Waikato), Rotorua (Bay of Plenty), Kapiti Island (Wellington), Abel Tasman (Nelson/Tasman), Tekapo (Mackenzie), and Doubtful Sound (Fiordland).
This initiative intends to make young Indians the protagonists of their travel stories, inspiring them to recreate their Minecraft experience via a real-life adventure trip to New Zealand.
To ensure the quick transition from gaming to booking, Thomas Cook India and SOTC have created a range of fun Minecraft itineraries designed around experiences featured in the Minecraft Aotearoa New Zealand DLC — from paddling a waka/canoe in Abel Tasman, visiting glowworm caves in Waitomo, or stargazing in Tekapo.
Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive René de Monchy, hopes the initiative will inspire people to convert pixels into plane tickets and visit New Zealand to play for real.
“This is our chance to invite Indian travellers to play Aotearoa New Zealand and show how much fun people can have here. We want to give people an immersive taste of what New Zealand offers, and our marketing collaboration with Thomas Cook and SOTC Travel intends to highlight this.”
Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel President and Group head – Marketing, Service Quality, Value-added Services and Innovation Abraham Alapatt said: “India’s young, dynamic demographic is engaging with travel in new ways, and leveraging gaming offers a unique opportunity to connect. With the Minecraft DLC set against New Zealand’s landscapes, our campaign intends to convert their digital journey into a real-world adventure and experience New Zealand firsthand.”
