This Content Is Only For Subscribers
Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, in partnership with He Toronga Pakihi ki Taranaki, is inviting the tourism community to take part in the Taranaki Tourism Summit 2025 — a full-day event designed to spark new thinking around how tourism can regenerate, innovate and empower communities.
The Summit will bring together national and international thought leaders, iwi and hapū representatives, tourism operators, central and local government, researchers and community partners to envision a future where tourism benefits people, place and the economy.
Taranaki’s visitor sector is showing strong momentum. Recent data reveals a 215 per cent growth in international guest nights compared with the same period in 2022 — the most substantial proportional increase across all regions in Aotearoa. Meanwhile, total regional tourism expenditure continues to rise, reaching $491 million in 2023, with a 5.9 per cent year-to-date increase in visitor spend in 2024, ranking Taranaki among the top-performing regions nationwide.
These trends highlight the opportunity for Taranaki to move from relative organic growth to intentional excellence, leveraging new visitor assets, regenerative models and iwi-led innovation.
“Now more than ever, Taranaki has the potential to lead as a region where tourism and community thrive together,” says Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki general manager destination Brylee Flutey.
“With emerging assets such as the Taranaki Crossing, Te Whare Hononga, Ngā Rere and the North Taranaki Visitor Centre, we can design a visitor future that is authentic, sustainable and intentional, but we need collective will and collaboration to realise it.”
Flutey says tourism represents one of the most significant opportunities for the region’s next chapter.
“Tourism is a catalyst for regional pride, investment and innovation. It helps us tell our stories, support local businesses and strengthen our connection to the environment and to one another. The Summit is about unlocking that potential, ensuring Taranaki continues to stand out as a region that does tourism differently — and that we are challenging ourselves to think big, bold and beyond any preconceived ideas we may hold about what tourism means for our region.”
The Summit has received strong sponsorship support from local organisations committed to growing the region’s visitor economy, including Tawa Group general manager Peter Crawford, whose family-owned tourism accommodation business operates Belt Road Seaside Holiday Park in New Plymouth.
“We started our tourism journey in 2014 with a focus on accommodation and have since grown a family business that will employ over 100 people during the upcoming high season. Our properties include Qualmark Gold-rated holiday parks, and our business plan is adapted from the Tourism Industry Aotearoa sustainability commitment. We’re proud to contribute to communities across New Zealand and build from our home base here in Taranaki. Supporting the Summit reflects our belief in the future of tourism in the region,” Crawford says.
Confirmed speakers include TRC Tourism director Kylie Ruwhiu-Karawana, Ngāi Tahu Tourism operations manager Jolanda Cave, ZEALANDIA partnerships lead Gabby Lawton, and Agritourism NZ founder Marijke Dunselman, alongside international keynote Blue Derby Pods Ride co-founder Tara Howell (Tasmania). These experts will share insights on Indigenous tourism, regenerative models, rural diversification and tourism innovation across Aotearoa and beyond.
Attendees will explore how to harness tourism’s power across three key focus areas:
- Cultural tourism – iwi/hapū-led experiences, storytelling, tikanga and tiaki
- Agri-tourism – on-farm and whenua experiences and the power of diversification
- Regenerative tourism – restoration, biodiversity and visitor stewardship
Tickets are limited and expected to sell quickly. Secure your place and help define the future of tourism in Taranaki.
Tickets available at: Eventbrite – Taranaki Tourism Summit 2025
