5pm - 6.30pm

Pre-Summit Welcome drinks

Venue: Foxglove, 33 Queens Wharf, Wellington  

8.00am

Registration opens 

Venue: Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre

Enjoy a coffee from the Air New Zealand Coffee Cart

8.30am

Delegates to be seated

8.45am

Mihi Whakatau

Te Āti Awa 

8.55am

Summit welcome - MC

Miriama Kamo

9.00am

Tourism Industry Aotearoa 

Rebecca Ingram, Chief Executive, Tourism Industry Aotearoa

 9.15am

Air New Zealand

Mike Williams, Chief Transformation and Alliances Officer, Air New Zealand 

Session details to come soon. 

9.30am

Tourism New Zealand

Speaker: To be confirmed 

Session details to come soon. 

9.45am 

Global Shifts, Local Impact: Navigating Geopolitical Risk and Opportunity 
Speakers: Facilitator Corin Dann with panellists Felicity Roxburgh, Executive Director of the New Zealand International Business Forum (NZIBF), Charles Finny, Chair of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and a leading economist soon to be confirmed.  

In a world of increasing geopolitical uncertainty, how should New Zealand businesses prepare, adapt, and thrive? Join this timely and thought-provoking panel, facilitated by political reporter Corin Dann, as leading experts unpack the global forces shaping our economic future. 

This session will explore the current geopolitical landscape and its implications for trade, investment, business risk, and economic resilience. From rising international tensions to shifting trade alliances and investment flows, our panellists will provide valuable insights to help leaders make informed strategic decisions in a complex global environment. 

You will hear from Felicity Roxburgh, Executive Director of the New Zealand International Business Forum (NZIBF), on managing business risk in a volatile world; Charles Finny, Chair of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and former diplomat, on international trade trends and offshore opportunities; and an economist who will talk to the economic outlook for New Zealand, key markets to watch, and potential growth sectors including tourism. 

Don’t miss this essential conversation on the intersection of global change and local impact. 

10.30am

Morning tea – sponsored by Wellington Cable Car

 11am 

World in Flux, New Zealand in Focus: Turning global change into local growth 
Speaker: Toni Truslove, Strategic Consultant at Ghost Dynamics 

In a world defined by rapid and complex change from politics and economics to technology and the environment, this session explores how global trends are shaping New Zealand’s future. From shifting global dynamics to local opportunities, Toni will unpack what these movements mean for Kiwi businesses and the nation’s role on the world stage. Discover how New Zealand’s unique cultural identity, Pacific location, and global soft power can become powerful strategic assets. With practical insights for leaders, this session will help translate national strengths into tangible organisational action. Because while the world won’t slow down, New Zealand has the potential to navigate with purpose, not just keep up. 

11.30am 

What are you doing to be a good ancestor? 
Speaker: Ngahihi o te ra Bidois, The Face of New Zealand 

In an era where travellers seek connection over convenience, Aotearoa New Zealand has a rare opportunity to stand apart, not just as a destination, but as a culturally rich, meaningful experience. In this session Māori leader Ngahihi o te ra Bidois explores how tourism businesses can unlock the unique cultural depth of Aotearoa to deliver authentic, sustainable, and distinctly New Zealand experiences. With his background as a professional director and business leader, Ngahihi brings a wealth of knowledge to help businesses align with the values of manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, and long-term legacy. 

Drawing on ancient Māori wisdom as modern solutions, Ngahihi challenges tourism leaders to ask, “What are you doing to be a good ancestor?” Through storytelling, reflective practice, and practical insights, he will guide attendees to identify their leadership potential, leverage New Zealand’s cultural strengths, and collaborate more effectively across the sector. This powerful session will explore how to design experiences that stand the test of time, drive sustainable success, and keep Aotearoa at the forefront of global tourism. 

12pm 

Nature Means Business  

Speaker: Izzy Fenwick, Director, The Aotearoa Circle

In an era of escalating weather extremes, the tourism industry stands on the frontline. With equal parts urgency and pragmatism, Izzy Fenwick reimagines the working relationship between business and nature, inspiring leaders to see climate and nature risk not as distant compliance hurdles, but as the foundation of enduring success. This is a call to action for tourism decision-makers to place environmental resilience at the heart of their strategy, before the stage on which their industry stands begins to give way. 

12.30pm - 1.30pm

Lunch

1.30pm - 2.15pm

Focus Sessions

Session 1: Tourism’s AI Future - What’s Next (and How to Get There) 

Speaker: Nadia Ellis, Founder of Curiosity
Room: Main Plenary 

AI is reshaping the global tourism landscape. The question for New Zealand is not if we adapt, but how quickly we can turn dabbling into competitive advantage.  

You’ll hear practical stories from businesses who are applying AI successfully: from bookings and translation to guest experience and sales. More importantly, you will leave with a framework for how to move from experimentation to meaningful organisational change.  

In this session, you’ll discover:  

• Lessons New Zealand tourism operators can draw from global tech leaders 
• How tourism & hospitality businesses are already putting AI into practice locally  
• Why AI adoption is less about software and more about leadership and culture  
• Practical pathways to successfully embed AI into your business. (spoiler alert – it’s not more subscriptions)  

This session offers grounded perspectives and forward-thinking strategies to help you thrive in an AI-powered future. 

Session 2: Culture is the New Currency

Room: Breakout 1 

Speakers: Jason Hill, Managing Director, Tourism Talent, Alex Dykman, Founder of Grow Tourism and Samantha Howarth, Chief Revenue Office, Angus Associates 

Culture is no longer intangible - data shows that purpose, recognition, flexibility, inclusion, and growth are the key drivers of workforce attraction and retention, especially as the industry evolves toward new, flexible work models.
 
In this interactive workshop, you’ll explore what today’s workforce truly values and how to build cultures that deliver. Through real-time engagement and practical insights, you'll learn how to meet the needs of diverse teams, whether they’re on-site, remote, fractional, or hybrid.
 
Join experts from Angus & Associates, Grow Tourism, and Tourism Talent as they unpack the key cultural levers every tourism leader should be pulling. Discover how to design roles, lead with clarity and trust, and create environments where your people thrive. Whether your team is on-site, remote, fractional or mixed model, this session will help you design roles and environments that meet real human needs and keep your talent thriving. Culture isn’t a perk. It’s your strategy. Let’s build it.

Session 3: Adaptive Tourism - Rethinking Risk, Insurance & Adaptability by 2030 
Room: Breakout 2 

Speakers: Fraser Walker, National Business Development Manager, Emergence Insurance and Ed Barker, Manager, Partridge Advisory 

The risks facing tourism businesses are changing fast—from cyber security threats and AI-driven attacks to insurance gaps. Many tourism operators are unknowingly exposed, underinsured, or unprepared for the next wave of disruption. 

In this session, you'll dive into the realities of modern risk management with experts in cyber security and insurance infrastructure. Through real life examples, you’ll be put in the shoes of a business suffering a cyber-attack with ransom being demanded and gain the tools to strengthen your business from the inside out. 

In this session, you’ll learn: 

• How cyber criminals are targeting businesses like yours—and how to stop them
• The surprising ways human behaviour can open the door to breaches, and how to build a stronger security culture
• AI vs AI: how both hackers and defenders are using AI, and what that means for your organisation
• Practical tools you can use right now to boost your cyber resilience
• The types of insurance most tourism businesses don’t have—but really should  

Whether you run a tour company, attraction, or regional operation, this session will help you understand your exposure, close the gaps, and adapt with confidence. 

2.15pm - 2.25pm

Room transition

2.25pm - 3.05pm

Focus Sessions 

The above sessions repeated 

3.05pm

Afternoon tea

3.25pm 

Address from the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality  

Speaker: Hon. Louise Upston 

3.40pm 

Useful Belief: It’s better than positive thinking. Changing how you look at life’s challenges 

Speaker: Chris Helder  

What if you could reframe life’s challenges in a way that’s more powerful than positive thinking? Bestselling author and communication expert Chris Helder introduces the concept of Useful Belief, a practical approach to mindset that helps individuals and teams reframe obstacles, shift perspective, and take meaningful action. 

This session explores two core areas: mindset and building better relationships. First, Chris dives into the power of Useful Belief, challenging the audience to re-frame the challenging aspects of their professional and personal lives and help them develop a Useful Belief about them. This shift in mindset gives the audience the power to take control of their mindset and redefine what’s possible in terms of productivity, performance, success and happiness. 

The second part of the presentation delivers a proven framework for understanding and adapting to different personality styles. Attendees will gain insights into their own behavioural preferences and those of others and have a powerful blueprint for creating rapport, trust and connection. 

With his humour and insight, Chris will leave attendees laughing, inspired, and equipped with actionable strategies they can implement immediately.

4.25pm

Summit closing - MC

4.30pm

Summit ends

6.30pm

Pre-dinner drinks

Venue: Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre

7pm - 11pm

New Zealand Tourism Awards dinner

Venue: Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre

Join us as we showcase and celebrate the tourism industry’s individual and business successes of 2025!