New Zealand Māori Tourism

A Brief History

Prior to the NZTS2000, there were two significant Māori tourism groups – one in Rotorua (Māori in Tourism Rotorua) and one in Northland (Tai Tokerau Māori Tourism Organisation). There was iwi interest in the potential in tourism but beyond that there had been a national organisation called the Aotearoa Māori Tourism Federation that existed for a few years.

Māori were active in tourism but generally speaking operated in disparate groups and in isolation from one another. So at the time of the NZTS2010 development, there was no national collective voice to speak out on issues pertinent to Māori in the tourism sector.

The NZTS2010 and the current Māori Tourism Structure

At the time of the development of the NZTS2010 strategy, a group of Māori were pulled together to input into the strategy development. This group was called the Māori Tourism Advisory Group and were a significant voice for Māori interests during that consultation. From that strategy a structure was born.

The government, via Te Puni Kōkiri, funded the formation of 12 Māori Regional Tourism Organisations (MRTOs) around New Zealand. Most of these were made up of operators and groups and varied in size according to the tourism interests of the regions.

These groups quickly formed a National Māori Tourism Network and in 2003 legally formed the New Zealand Māori Tourism Society that trades under the name of New Zealand Māori Tourism Council (NZMTC). An agreed set of criteria were developed for membership of that body by those original Māori Regional Tourism Organisations (MRTOs).

The Current member MRTOs

Tai Tokerau Māori Tourism and Cultural Tourism www.taitokerau.co.nz

Auckland Māori Tourism Association

Tauranga Moana Māori Tourism Incorporated

Māori in Tourism Rotorua www.nzmaoritourism.com

Central North Island Māori Tourism New Zealand

Tai Rawhiti Ventures Inc

Hawkes Bay Māori Tourism Trust

Māori Tourism Taranaki Trust
 

Whanganui Māori Regional Tourism New Zealand www.whanganuiriver.co.nz

Te Ara a Maui Inc www.taamtourism.co.nz

South Island Māori Regional Tourism Organisation Limited