December 17, 2018
Ngāi te Rangi eyes tourism showcase
Ngāi Te Rangi chief executive Paora Stanley says the tribe expects a return from a possible $4 million investment in a new visitor information centre in Mount Maunganui.
The tribe has made the offer to Tauranga City Council, which is seeking partners for the plan.
Mr Stanley says it’s a project which can benefit the iwi by giving it a stake in the region’s billion dollar a year tourism sector, driven in part by the 320,000 people who come off cruise ships.
"So it’s a growth industry, it's an opportunity industry, it's a way to also showcase our culture and to make sure we have a controlling arm in how that culture will be showcases. We have close links with BOP Tourism. It seems like there's a possibility for multiple wins in one shot," he says.
Ngāi Te Rangi is waiting to hear more from the council about the project, and it also wants to see if it qualifies for a grant from the provincial growth fund.
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