Sharing the Aroha of Tourism

Aotearoa New Zealand’s tourism industry is great at welcoming visitors, teaching them the ropes and guiding them to the best spots.

But it doesn’t stop there.

They’re cooking up hangi, donating school uniforms and passing on their knowledge to those in need. When they’re not teaching people to fly, they’re looking out for our youth’s mental wellbeing.

It’s not just about showing off our backyard but also acting as kaitiaki of the ocean, the land, the stories.

They’re caring about our impact on the environment as much as getting us home on time for Friday fish ‘n chips.

Every day our tourism operators are doing all sorts of incredible things – not just for overseas visitors but for their local communities. Because we love our country as much as you do.

We invite you to join us in celebrating the Aroha of Tourism.

Check out these operator stories

Russell-Orongo Bay Holiday Park

Russell-Orongo Bay Holiday Park takes great care to not only provide a comfortable and enjoyable experience for their human visitors, but also to protect and preserve the local kiwi population.

By watching over and protecting their little piece of ngāhere (forest), the park’s team is ensuring it will be there to enjoy for future generations. And their activities don’t stop at trapping those pesky predators that are endangering our kiwi and other native birds.

They share their knowledge about our nation’s treasured wildlife and encourage campers and local schools to get involved in conservation projects.

Find out how you can get involved in this valuable mahi.

The Hotel Britomart, Auckland

The Hotel Britomart, located in the heart of Auckland, is more than just a place to stay - it's a space where Kiwis can come together to celebrate special occasions and create lasting memories. The award-winning boutique hotel and its classy restaurant, kingi, provide a beautiful setting for us to celebrate everything from weddings and milestone celebrations to family gatherings.

The Hotel Britomart is committed to being a positive force in the community as well as providing a space where locals and visitors alike can come together to create special memories.

Learn more about New Zealand’s only 5 Green Star hotel, where sustainability is embedded into everything they do.

Mountain Bike Rotorua

Tak and his team at Mountain Bike Rotorua love giving our visitors a rewarding experience, but they are passionate about introducing the joys of mountain biking to local tamariki.

Their ‘Share the Ride with Whanau’ programme takes families from the community who don’t have the means to buy new bikes and teaches them riding skills and basic bike maintenance. On successful completion of the programme, each child gets a brand-new bike and helmet!

In addition to teaching the kids how to ride, the team teaches the children the importance of respecting nature and how to be responsible trail users.

Find out more about the work Mountain Bike Rotorua is doing in the community.

Kohutapu Lodge, Bay of Plenty

Community comes first for the team at Kohutapu Lodge in Murupara. Welcoming manuhiri to the region means Nadine and Karl can provide kai and other support to locals who could do with a helping hand – as well as sharing their beautiful place and culture with visitors.

They set out to provide positive change and offer opportunities for the local community, and that vision is at the heart of everything they do. Tourism has helped provide winter school uniforms for local rangitahi and supported educational trips, as well as much-needed jobs.

Kohutapu Lodge has invested more than $500,000 back into their local community thanks to tourism! Discover more about the outstanding difference they are making in their town.

East by West Ferries, Wellington

East by West Ferries’ new electric ferry not only reduces its carbon footprint and helps protect the environment but also provides a more comfortable and quieter ride for its passengers. It’s the first fully electric, high speed passenger ferry in the southern hemisphere!

Ika Rere offers frequent and reliable trips between Wellington and the picturesque suburb of Eastbourne. Visitors to our capital city love the opportunity to cruise across the harbour. They can only envy the locals who get to enjoy this journey every day as they head to work and school.

Darcy and the East by West Ferries crew are proud to be doing their bit to protect the environment – as well as getting us home on time for Friday fish ‘n chips.

Akaroa Dolphins

Marie and the team at Akaroa Dolphins – including the beloved company dogs who are expert dolphin spotters – are committed to protecting the delicate ecosystem of the ocean and the unique creatures that call it home.

Sharing their special place with visitors enables this family-owned and operated business to act as kaitiaki, protecting the ocean for future generations. That’s why they have strict guidelines in place to ensure that they don’t disturb the natural behaviour of the dolphins and other marine life. And a percentage of each passenger's fare goes to the Department of Conservation, to be spent on research and education on marine wildlife.

But that’s not all they do for conservation and their community. Find out more about the incredible work that Akaroa Dolphins do every day.

iFLY Queenstown

For Lottie and the team at iFLY Indoor Skydiving Queenstown, it’s not just about teaching people how to fly.

In 2021 iFLY launched the Whakamana Youth Programme to help local primary-aged tamariki to manage the pressures of mental health before their transition to high school.

200 vulnerable children take part in the free programme each year, learning how to understand and manage their emotions, build self-esteem, develop healthy relationships, and care for their wellbeing. The final mental and physical challenge is to conquer iFLY itself!

Spread the Aroha of Tourism

TIA members, get involved. Tell your own stories of the incredible things you are doing – to support your local community, to protect our precious native wildlife, or to care for our environment.

Access the toolkit through MyTIA