New Zealand Jokingly Tells Tourists to Stop Copying Social Media Influencers' Photos

The country's tourism agency is encouraging people not to travel “under the social influence”.

No more lavender fields or mountain peaks! New Zealand is ready for some fresh perspectives.

In a new campaign video, the country's tourism agency is asking people to stop copying social media influencers' photos at popular destinations and instead discover new spots to enjoy.

The tongue-in-cheek video called "Travelling Under the Social Influence," shows comedian Tom Sainsbury as a member of the Social Observation Squad, patrolling the country's top tourist spots for people taking cliché photos.

"I've been alerted to a situation that's been happening a lot lately," Sainsbury says in the video. "People have been seeing those photos on social media and are going to great lengths to copy them."

The comedian approaches a couple taking photos at Roys Peak – a popular place for tourists to snap an Instagram picture – and asks them to stop.

"I've seen all this before. We all have," he tells them. "This summer we're clamping down on anyone traveling under the social influence."

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Instead, Sainsbury encourages the couple to "share something new."

Travelers were encouraged to share creative travel shots with #DoSomethingNewNZ for a chance to win a $500 domestic travel voucher.

The new call-to-action is part of New Zealand's long-running "Do Something New" campaign, which is aimed at inspiring more domestic tourism and rediscovering "our backyard with new eyes" while international visitors are restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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"We noticed that the same pictures or poses kept coming up, time and time again, no matter the location," Bjoern Spreitzer, Tourism NZ's domestic manager, said to the local news outlet Stuff. "There are so many incredible things to do in New Zealand, beyond the social trends."

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This is an excerpt from an article originally published by People.com. Words: Katie Campione.