New Zealand tourism industry event to focus on revival and revitalisation

This year’s Tourism Summit Aotearoa, a full-day event held on 17th November at Te Papa, Wellington, will focus on the revival and revitalisation of New Zealand’s tourism industry bringing together business and government leaders from all sectors of the industry including Air New Zealand’s Chief Executive Greg Foran.

The Summit, which will be held on 17th November at Te Papa, Wellington, is a key annual event hosted by Tourism Industry Aotearoa. This year, TIA has designed the Summit around the immediate and longer-term needs of the industry, with an aim to breathe new life into tourism following the challenges brought on by the pandemic.

TIA Chief Executive, Chris Roberts notes “Tourism Summit Aotearoa is an opportunity for businesses and stakeholders to discuss the future of tourism and how we can take deliberate steps to shape the development of the visitor economy in New Zealand, while getting our industry back on its feet after its hardest ever year.

“We’ll discuss the next steps for the industry and reveal new tools and approaches to ensure the long-term sustainability of tourism in New Zealand.”

Roberts says the Summit will be an energising day with lively discussion, concluding with networking drinks followed by dinner.

“After so much forced time apart, we want to bring the industry together again for some much-needed networking and face-to-face interaction.”

The Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism will both be invited to speak. Alongside Greg Foran, confirmed speakers include Tourism New Zealand Chief EXecutive Stephen England-Hall, the co-Chairs of the Tourism Futures Taskforce Grant Webster and Steve Chadwick, TIA Chief Executive Chris Roberts and TIA Chair Gráinne Troute. Further speakers are to be added. There will also be several industry panels and the audience will be encouraged to actively participate in the discussions.

Troute will announce the recipients of this year’s Tourism Academic Scholarships, which help young New Zealanders complete their final year of tourism-related tertiary study.

TIA has managed costs and obtained sponsorship support to allow registration fees for the Summit to be kept low, to support industry attendance.

Tourism Summit Aotearoa is supported by Marsh New Zealand, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, NZ Māori Tourism, ServiceIQ and the Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust.

Image top: Tourism Summit Aotearoa 2018 and image above Chris Roberts TIA Chief Executive 

KEY FACTS -

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Tourism in New Zealand was a $112 million per day industry. Tourism delivered around $47 million in foreign exchange to the New Zealand economy each day of the year. Domestic tourism contributed another $65 million in economic activity every day.

• Tourism was New Zealand’s biggest export earner, contributing $17.2 billion or 20.4% of New Zealand’s foreign exchange earnings (year ended March 2019).

• 14.4% of the total number of people employed in New Zealand worked directly or indirectly in tourism. That means 393,279 people were working in the visitor economy.

• The Tourism 2025 & Beyond sustainable growth framework/Kaupapa Whakapakari Tāpoi has a vision of growing a sustainable tourism industry that benefits New Zealanders.

Visit www.tia.org.nz for more information