Fall in love with Rotorua: Māori tourism puts best foot forward
Sean Marsh, Te Puia – New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute's sale and marketing general manager, said it was important that international visitors returned home having "fallen in love with Rotorua".
Last night, Te Puia hosted the welcoming event where Te Matatini 2025 champions Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue made a surprise performance.
"Nearly a thousand people arrived to Rotorua, and it's our job to manaaki them and welcome them in the best way that we know possible," Marsh said.
The two-and-a-half day event is touted as the most important industry event on the calendar, connecting Aotearoa to the global tourism trade. Over its duration, the local economy is expected to get a boost of over $3 million in new spending.
For Māori tourism businesses such as Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa, it's an invaluable opportunity to make connections.
"We envision that in three years' time we will have a large number of international travellers but they don't just show up at the door," said general manager Debbie Robertson.
She said they engage with international buyers and travel agents and invite them to experience what makes them unique.
"It's very important for Wai Ariki to be successful, not only for the facility, for our people. It's a large investment that we have and something we're proud of."
Tourism in Aotearoa injects billions of dollars into the economy. In the year ending June 2024, tourist spending reached $11.6 billion, and according to a recent report, in 2023, Māori tourist businesses contributed $1.2 billion, up from $975 million in pre-Covid 2018.
Tanya Robinson, general manager of Whakarewarewa – The Living Māori Village, said they have made a good recovery post-Covid and have an increase in visitors above the national average.
"We're thrilled about that because our organisation is also charitable [and] it's great to be able to employ our people to be able to return value to our community, to give back to our taonga heritage buildings, our environment which is where all the funds go that we earn through the business."
The village is set in a geothermal landscape and offers a unique insight into Māori living. It's an iconic tourist attraction owned and operated by Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao.
They have been in business for over 200 years and are always working to improve on what they offer their guests, said Robinson, and TRENZ allows them the opportunity to promote their experiences.
"It's both how we get to know our customers but also how our customers get to know us, what our product is, and to learn about what our offering is."
Dale Stephens, New Zealand Māori Tourism chair, said a lot of effort goes into getting things right to "show our best face to our visitors".
"The opportunity for us to present all the various elements of tourism, especially our indigenous, our Māori tourism, to buyers from around the world who come and they look at what they can buy and then on sell to tourists who come to New Zealand [is important]."
Today, the Government announced the removal of the requirement to certify translations of supporting documents for visitors' visa application.
Instead, applicants will need to advise who translated the documents and the qualifications or experience of the translator.
Tourism Minister Louise Upston said it was about removing the "friction" of having to certify English translations, bringing the requirements in line with Australia.
She said they wanted to make it clear, especially to the China market, that New Zealand was open for business and "keen" for visitors to return.
No doubt a welcome announcement for Māori tourism who, Stephens said, are enjoying an increase in Asian buyers coming into the country.
"We know that the Asian markets are hugely important culturally to New Zealand, and to Māori tourism especially. We see this as a huge leap forward to us.
"We appeal to all countries in the world but we have quite a unique tie with our Asian whānau."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
1News
6 hours ago
- 1News
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa announces job cuts in proposed 'redesign'
The largest Māori tertiary provider in the country has announced a proposed "organisational redesign" that will cut around 60 roles. The measures were announced today by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in a new strategy, Te Pae Tawhiti 2030, saying it aimed to map out the institution's future direction to deliver "innovative, values-led education for learners of today" and "generations to come". "A proposed organisational redesign better aligns our people, structures, and systems with our vision, and responds to the changing needs of our tauira, employers and communities," the wānanga said in a statement. "Guided by kaupapa Māori values (Te Kaupapa Matua), Te Pae Tawhiti 2030 will expand the reach and relevance of mātauranga Māori and deliver high-quality education that is inclusive, innovative, and transformational." The changes would create new roles, disestablish some existing roles, and realign responsibilities, according to the statement. A reduction of around 60 roles was expected – about 4% of the tertiary institutions' workforce. ADVERTISEMENT The wānanga employed nearly 1500 staff across the country at sites in more than 80 locations between Kaitaia and Invercargill. The wānanga said its priority was to retain as many existing kaimahi as possible by supporting them into new roles. A key focus of the change would be in leadership, the statement continued, where there would be a "deliberate" flattening of the structure and realignment of roles to "lift visibility, reduce complexity, and strengthen strategic oversight". "Our kaiako are central to who we are, and all that we do, and this change is about ensuring they are supported to do their important mahi in the best possible way. There will be no reduction in kaiako roles." The wānanga aimed to shift its focus to delivery, leadership, partnership, and innovation. Consultation would take place with kaimahi over the next few months. In April, the institution marked 40 years since the official opening of O-Tāwhao Marae, in Te Awamutu, the birthplace of the wānanga. ADVERTISEMENT For more on this kaupapa, watch Te Karere at 4pm today on TVNZ1 or livestream on TVNZ+.
Scoop
7 hours ago
- Scoop
Te Wānanga O Aotearoa Realigns To Strengthen Education For Future Generations
Ko te pae tawhiti, whakamaua kia tata, ko te pae tata, whakamaua kia tina! Seek out distant horizons and cherish those you have reached Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has begun the next stage of Te Pae Tawhiti 2030 – a future-focused plan to deliver innovative, values-led education for learners of today and for the generations to come. A proposed organisational redesign better aligns our people, structures, and systems with our vision, and responds to the changing needs of our tauira, employers and communities. Guided by kaupapa Māori values (Te Kaupapa Matua), Te Pae Tawhiti 2030 will expand the reach and relevance of mātauranga Māori and deliver high-quality education that is inclusive, innovative, and transformational. We have developed a new Target Operating Model and are now moving into implementation, starting with the proposed redesign. Te Wānanga o Aotearoa was formed more than 40-years ago, to serve tauira whose learning needs were not being met across Aotearoa. From humble beginnings, we have grown through innovation and adaptation, guided by kaupapa shaped by our founders and the leaders that followed. We must be innovative and adapt to ensure we are best placed to meet the needs of those we serve now and in the future. That is at the heart of why we are redesigning how we organise ourselves – to strengthen our ability to deliver on our vision and values into the future. This proposed redesign will result in the creation of new roles, the disestablishment of some existing roles, and the realignment of responsibilities. The overall outcome of this will be a reduction in around 60 roles – about 4% of our workforce. Our priority is to retain as many existing kaimahi as possible, supporting as many as we can into new roles. With nearly 1,500 kaimahi across the motu, this requires a careful balance: simplifying and realigning roles and functions to improve efficiency and the quality of our offering, while making targeted investments in new capability to strengthen our future readiness and enhance delivery. A key focus of this change is leadership. Proposed changes to our management – includes a deliberate flattening of the structure and realignment of leadership roles – to lift visibility, reduce complexity, and strengthen strategic oversight. Our kaiako are central to who we are, and all that we do, and this change is about ensuring they are supported to do their important mahi in the best possible way. There will be no reduction in kaiako roles. The proposed changes reflect a shift in our approach and focus on to delivery, leadership, partnership, and innovation. Key areas of focus for Te Pae Tawhiti 2030 include: Elevating the teaching and learning experience across all aspects of our mahi Strengthening strategic partnerships with iwi, industry, and communities Increasing leadership and workforce capability at every level Enhancing the visibility and impact of mātauranga Māori, locally and globally Enabling smarter, more integrated ways of working through system and service improvements. Where new capabilities are required to deliver on our strategy, we will always look first at how they can be developed from within – through redeployment, upskilling, and leadership development. Over the coming months, we will engage in consultation with our kaimahi, where there will be opportunities to contribute, ask questions, and help shape what this change will look like. Te Kaupapa Matua o Te Wānanga o Aotearoa describes the central aim and values that drive everything Te Wānanga o Aotearoa does, from how learning is delivered to how people are treated. This remains our guiding philosophy throughout our change process – to elevate people and communities by making meaningful, culturally grounded education accessible to all. To our tauira, to our whānau, hapū, iwi and hāpori whānui and partners who continue to place their trust in Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, thank you. The steps we are taking now are about building something strong, sustainable, and enduring, not just for today, but for the generations to come.
Scoop
10 hours ago
- Scoop
Law Change Could Save Farmers And Taxpayers Millions
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind a new Member's Bill that could bring much-needed clarity to New Zealand's climate change laws - and save millions in legal costs. National MP Joseph Mooney's Climate Change Response (Restriction on Civil Proceedings) Amendment Bill aims to confirm a common-sense principle: if a person or business is complying with national climate change laws, they can't be sued for causing climate-related damage. "It sounds very obvious, but that's not how the law appears to be working right now," Federated Farmers climate change spokesperson Wayne Langford says. "It's crazy that companies like Fonterra and Dairy Holdings, who are fully meeting their legal climate obligations right now, can still be dragged into court and sued for allegedly causing harm through emissions. "We fully support Joseph Mooney's Bill, which will restore some much-needed common sense and save farmers, food processors and taxpayers millions of dollars in court costs." Climate activist Mike Smith is taking seven major New Zealand companies, including Fonterra and Dairy Holdings, to court over their greenhouse gas emissions. He says the emissions are harming Māori land and culture, and is claiming public nuisance, negligence, and breach of a duty to stop contributing to climate change. The High Court threw out two of the claims but allowed the third to proceed. After appeals from both sides, the Supreme Court has now reinstated all three claims, allowing the case to go to trial, and the matter is now back in front of the High Court. Federated Farmers says the case sets a dangerous precedent. "Every New Zealander contributes to climate change in some way," Langford says. "When you turn on a light switch, cook dinner, drive your car - even an EV - you're using energy and consuming goods. All of that has emissions behind it." In most cases, those emissions come from companies operating within New Zealand's legal framework - following rules set out under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), reporting requirements, and other regulatory obligations. "So, it's silly stuff to then try and sue those law-abiding companies," Langford says. He points out that long-lived carbon dioxide emissions are already captured under the ETS, and the Government is actively investing in research and tools to help farmers reduce their short-lived methane emissions. "If these companies are following the rules, there has to be some certainty and protection in that, or the legal risk becomes unmanageable." Mooney's Bill would provide that certainty by spelling out in law that private legal action cannot be taken against individuals or companies for their greenhouse gas emissions, provided they're complying with climate laws already set by Parliament. "Rather than force the courts to debate and decide what the law in New Zealand is, this Bill would allow Parliament to exert its authority and define the law," Langford says. He says it's no different from how things work in other areas of law. "If a property developer gets resource consent to build a high-rise apartment, the neighbours can't turn around and sue them for the shade or noise. "That's because we recognise the developer has done everything required under the law to get permission. "Why should climate law be treated any differently?" Smith's lawsuit covers major electricity generators, petrol retailers, dairy farming and dairy processing. Langford warns that if Smith's case is successful, it would see a host of vital industries face major cost and risk. The case could open the floodgates to further lawsuits against other industries that also produce emissions, even if they're fully compliant with New Zealand's climate regulations. "In practice, the only way for those industries to avoid legal risk would be to stop emitting entirely - meaning they'd effectively have to shut down overnight." He says that would be economically disastrous and would leave the Government scrambling to urgently rewrite the law to protect the economy. "If the case is successful, Parliament will simply be forced to urgently change the law. Let's not wait for that crisis. Parliament should clarify the law now, before this goes any further." Federated Farmers is urging the Government to adopt Mooney's Bill as a Government Bill, which would significantly speed up its passage through Parliament. "Rather than wait for Fonterra and Dairy Holdings to go through a lengthy and expensive High Court process - something that will also cost taxpayers dearly - the Government should step in now and provide certainty. "We need to focus our time, energy and taxpayer dollars on solutions that actually reduce emissions, not on endless litigation against companies doing everything the law requires."
