13 May 2016

Te Arawa stories and connections provide genuine tourism experiences

Te Arawa will continue to contribute to Rotorua’s unique tourism experience through commercial investment and providing the genuine connection today’s tourists demand, a local iwi leader says.

“We are able to share our stories with visitors in unique ways, through our connections to geothermal, the land and the lakes and the Maori view of guardianship over these taonga [treasures],” says Te Taru White, chairman of the Te Tatau o Te Arawa board established as part of Rotorua Lakes Council’s new iwi partnership.

“In this way Te Arawa share not only the past and present but also part of themselves and that makes for a premium product for today’s visitors because it hits the heart.”

Travel and tourism buyers from around the world got a taste yesterday [Thursday 12 May] of those Te Arawa stories and connections during a tour led by Mr White as part of New Zealand’s premier tourism expo, TRENZ, which is in Rotorua this week. More than 350 international travel and tourism buyers from 28 countries are attending, making deals worth hundreds of millions to New Zealand and anticipated to provide huge benefits for Rotorua’s world famous tourism industry.

Mr White says Te Arawa’s new partnership with Council, which sees iwi-elected representatives on council committees, ensures local iwi maintain strong relationships across the community and contribute to decision-making which will ensure the continued success of Rotorua’s tourism industry.

His sentiments are echoed by Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick who says Rotorua has always been a community that values tourism. She says continued success relies on local Maori continuing to play a leading role, both as hosts and through economic investment.

“Tourism has been part of the fabric of our community for over a century – we’ve always hosted visitors and we continue to look for opportunities to develop what we already have and introduce new offerings.

“We already have strong partnerships within our tourism industry through initiatives like the local tourism committee and the Famously Rotorua campaign. The industry will be even stronger as a result of Council’s new partnership with Te Arawa – they have always played a leading role and are key to Rotorua continuing to develop its offering to ensure the district remains a key tourism destination.”

Te Arawa’s connections to tourism remain strong and the partnership provides added value to a key local industry, Mr White and the mayor agree.

“The partnership makes us work closer together with the rest of the community in developing these experiences together,” Mr White says.

“Rotorua and Te Arawa are New Zealand’s original tourism hosts, early on seeing the economic potential provided by the Pink and White Terraces. After the Mount Tarawera eruption tourism migrated into Rotorua itself, to Whakarewarewa, and Te Arawa started a new economy with the government of that time.

Mr White says Te Arawa people are “consummate hosts” and look forward to being a vital component of the local tourism economy in the future and continuing to showcase their culture to the world.

“We live in a contemporary space. Our culture has evolved with us and through our new partnership with Council, sharing our understandings, learnings and experiences with the rest of our community – not just visitors – is a way of cementing our commitment to contributing to the growth and wellbeing of the Rotorua district.

“Having a recognised voice will give real added value.”

Hosting TRENZ in Rotorua this week has the potential to for huge long-term economic benefits, Mayor Chadwick says.

“We’re focussed on three key pillars of our tourism industry – Maori culture, mountainbiking and natural hot springs and wellness. However, ensuring Rotorua’s ongoing success needs to be a joint effort that involves the whole community.

“Hosting is something we do together in Rotorua,” she says. “We take on the responsibility as a community – residents, Council, tourism operators, local businesses and Te Arawa.”

Open access to Whakarewarewa Forest and Rotorua’s many lakes have added great value to the district’s tourism industry as well as being the local community’s own adventure playground, the mayor says.

“These assets and open spaces also help us to attract many great events which we love.

“They are all things we hold very dear and which increase our sense of pride and manaakitanga (hospitality). That’s very strong here and something I’m enormously proud of.”

ENDS

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