New Zealand Urges Visitors To Stop ‘Traveling Under The Social Influence’

A tongue-in-cheek campaign has been launched in New Zealand to stop people from sharing the same old scenes taken at tourism hotspots.

Anyone with an Instagram account knows about this. People on vacation create the exact same poses at the exact same attractions and share them on Instagram. New Zealand’s tourism industry is now urging people to stop “traveling under the social influence,” and take different scenes instead. Think outside of the box on your next trip to New Zealand and share something unique to your social media accounts!

Stop ‘Traveling Under The Social Influence’

A new campaign has been launched in New Zealand, featuring local comedian Thomas Sainsbury. In the YouTube videos, Sainsbury embarks on a number of capers, centered around stopping people from shooting the same old scenes at popular tourist attractions. The idea is to encourage people to rather share different aspects of this beautiful country instead.

The campaign is being run by Tourism NZ, and gently pokes fun at the classic social media influencer scenes. Sainsbury plays the role of a lone ranger working in a “social observation squad.” He sets off in pursuit of people conducting photo shoots at the same old social media locations, with the same old poses. As he reaches each group of tourists, he tells them, “We’ve seen all this before.”

‘Summit Spread Eagle’ Pose

In the first video, Thomas can be seen approaching a couple at the top of a mountain, where they are posing in the common “summit spread eagle” pose.  He also reveals the “classic influencer pose,” by sitting on a rock and contemplating life.

Next Sainsbury heads to a lavender field, where he has been informed that a photo shoot is underway and finds a fedora lying on the ground. This is apparently another common influencer scene. He also goes on to mock the “hot dog legs” shots travelers like to post, showing their knees… and the beautiful scene.

Sainsbury ends up taking the couple to a wine farm, while encouraging them to climb on a bicycle and do a tour.

‘Run-Me-Over’ shots

In a second YouTube video, Sainsbury points out the dangers some visitors place themselves in while trying to get the perfect, Instagrammable shot. He refers to people shooting “run-me-over” shots while walking down the center of a deserted highway.

While the comedian doesn’t mention it, many people have died in the past, trying to get the best shot for Instagram, falling off mountains for the “perfect selfie.” Others have attempted precarious posts on the top of high bridges and skyscrapers. Basically, getting the perfect Instagram shot doesn’t do you much good if it kills you.

The more serious aim of this new campaign is to point out to visitors that there are many more incredible places to visit and capture beyond those trending on social media. New Zealand has an astonishing range of different landscapes to explore on both the South and North Island.

Of course, this doesn’t just relate to New Zealand. Try taking original shots wherever you travel n the world!

Read more about the campaign and the many incredible places to visit in New Zealand on the official Tourism NZ website here.

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