May 11, 2016
Home cooked kai a tourism treat
Innovation in Maori and other tourism products is on display this week at TRENZ, the annual tourism industry showcase.
It’s being held in Rotorua, and Destination Rotorua head Oscar Nathan says the sulphur city is pulling out the stops to show what it has to offer.
Sulphur’s still a big part of it, with a focus on the health giving properties of hot springs, but access great outdoors is also a big, with mountain biking in particular increasing in popularity.
Maori firms presenting to the 350 international tourism buyers include Te Puia, Mitai Maori Village, Tamaki Multi Day Adventures, whitewater rafting from Kaitiaki Adventures, Whakarewarewa Village, and two new products developed by the Rotorua Maori Tourism Association.
"Kia Ora Guided Walks gives visitors a Maori perspective walking around Ohinemutu and the CBD and Government Gardens and the other one that's very popular, has been in the last two years sicne we developed it, is our Maori home-hosted dinners. That's allowing people to for a night get to spend time with a Maori family. Usually three or four people join a Maori family and get to know what it's like to have a Maori world view in today’s society," Mr Nathan says.
The Rotorua tourism sector aims to double its contribution to the economy to $1 billion by 2030, with Maori operators set to play a big part in that.
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