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With Matariki celebrated just over one month ago, both data and public sentiment point to a growing impact from the relatively new public holiday – especially on regional tourism.
Rotorua was arguably the hub of North Island Matariki celebrations, offering a vibrant array of events to honour the Māori New Year – or ‘Matawiki’ as it was dubbed in the region.
RotoruaNZ head of strategy and investment Justin Kimberley says the weekend brought “really positive results” for the region.
“The Matariki Weekend domestic average daytime count was up 0.7 per cent, which is small, but impressive considering the 3.7 per cent decline nationally,” he says.
“We also saw a 1.5 per cent lift in daily domestic visitor population and a 9.1 per cent rise in international visitors – a strong sign that Rotorua is being seen as a Matariki destination, especially with the rest of the country down 1.2 per cent.”
The Aronui Matariki Drone Show and Night Market, a free event held in the evenings on June 19-20 in Rotorua, saw 36,000 people attend across the two nights – with a large amount of the crowd having travelled from out of Rotorua to enjoy the show.
“That’s an awesome increase from the 30,000 we saw in 2024 and great to see considering we had to postpone Thursday’s show due to bad weather conditions,” says Aronui Arts Festival’s James Wyllie-Miln.
“To still have that kind of turnout shows how deeply people are connecting with this kaupapa. We had whānau wrapped up in blankets, kids on shoulders, people FaceTiming loved ones overseas; it was beautiful to see.”
The drone show took more than a year to plan, and this year saw double the number of drones used, with a total of 300 compared to 150 in 2024.
“It was the largest drone show in Aotearoa to date and we’re hoping to build on that again next year,” says James.
To create an immersive experience, the Aronui team developed an original soundtrack and soundscape to guide the story of Matariki, pairing each star with animated drone formations and narratives connecting to te taiao (the environment).
The creative team included Te Arawa artists Tohunga Reo Mataia Keepa, Rangitiaria Tibble, and Cian Elyse White, working alongside Tohunga Reo and Tohunga Puoro Dr. Anaha Hiini (an expert in te reo Māori and traditional Māori instruments).
Meanwhile, Te Puia hosted its own suite of events. Sales and marketing GM Sean Marsh says Matariki is becoming a unique opportunity for both operators and visitors.
“Matariki is an interesting test case because it is the first indigenous holiday to be officially recognised in NZ, and I think has been influential in people seeking out a deeper connection with their natural environment and Te Ao Māori.
“We know from our broader market research that this sense of seeking a deeper connection is very real for Kiwis and international manuhiri alike.”
Sean says they see a range of people connecting with different elements of Matariki; with some finding the pre-dawn hautapu ceremony particularly meaningful, especially for those that have recently lost whānau or friends.
“In comparison, the Matariki Whānau Day is more attractive for families and groups of friends looking for fun activities, artisanal crafts and market items, a ride on our electric train and the delicious kai options from our market kitchen,” says Sean.
“This year’s event attracted nearly 1700 people, more than double the turnout from 2024. The vast majority were Rotorua locals, but we also welcomed guests from Auckland, Tauranga, and the Waikato.”
Sean says tourism organisations looking to incorporate Matariki into their tourism offerings should consider what their region could benefit from, consider how to make people feel included and keep it simple to begin with.
“Our event grew from creating a simple hautapu ceremony and wānanga for own staff and their families. For the first two years, that was its purpose and since then we have been approached to broaden the event for our wider community – and it has built from there. We have also assigned event specific people and resource to ensure that our planning, delivery, and debrief processes create a positive platform for future events.
“The overwhelming sentiment from our event surveys is that people loved feeling included, loved learning something new and that the environment was perfect in which to reflect, feel connected and enjoy time with their families.”
Another highlight on Rotorua’s calendar was Tohunga Tūmau, a 550-guest, seven-course degustation banquet led by renowned Māori chefs. The event is organised annually by Rewi Spraggon’s Kāuta Ltd and Lemongrass Productions, with the hosting iwi and region changing each year.
Lemongrass event manager Matt Carroll says their event this year –hosted in Rotorua – saw similar stats and figures from their previous event in Taupō.
“It was an honour to be part of Rotorua’s cultural celebrations,” says event manager Matt Carroll. “While we haven’t crunched full numbers, based on bookings, we expect around 70 per cent of guests came from out of town – similar to last year’s Taupō event.”
“One of the special things about bringing this event to life each year is the way each region rallies around the event to make it special. This year had the unique privilege of having both Te Arawa, our host, bring their distinctive flair to the evening and RotoruaNZ championing the event within the region.”
According to a New Zealand Māori Tourism spokesperson, Matariki is more than just a public holiday – it’s a cultural gateway.
“Our Māori tourism operators welcome the opportunity to highlight their authentic, Māori cultural experiences at the time of Matariki, as well as welcoming our international visitors to Aotearoa who are interested in engaging with Aotearoa’s unique culture.
“It’s also a time for remembrance, celebration and looking forward – honouring loved ones who have passed, cherishing their legacy and embracing new beginnings.
“This is an exciting chance for manuhiri to join in experiences across the motu. We welcome people to learn more about our culture, about what is important to our communities and the Māori New Year is a significant time of the year where manuhiri, Māori and all New Zealanders are able to do that together.
“We also recognise that Matariki falls during the quieter winter months for our Māori tourism whānau, so these celebrations present an opportunity for operators specialising in tours, kai, dark sky and Māori history.”
