Pania's Pānui

This weekend is the Tamaki Herenga Waka Festival in Auckland. Simon Phillips, our Director of Regions will be in and around the Māori tourism space over the weekend, so make sure you pop in to say kia ora.

As always, if there is anything you need help with for your Māori tourism business, we are merely a phone call or email away.

Nga mihi, na,

Pania and the team at NZ Māori Tourism.

PS - Is your Māori tourism experience listed on our website? If not, reply to this email and we'll get your business listed straight away.

Te Nama o te wiki (Number of the week)

Tourism expenditure grew in most regions over the year to December 2016. The fastest growing region was Nelson, which increased 15 per cent over the year to $340 million, followed by West Coast (up 13 per cent to $488 million) and Otago (up 12 per cent to $3.5 billion).

Kei te mōhio rānei koe? (Did you know?)

In 2015, there were 10 full time students pursuing their Doctorates in tourism studies. Five of those students were Māori. There were 3,230 students studying a tourism qualification full time, of which 935 were Māori.

Below are a selection of recent Instagram posts from around Aoteaora New Zealand using the hashtag #kiaora - we encourage manuhiri (visitors) to use #kiaora to showcase their experience with Māori tourism.

VisaView

If you are unable to recruit a New Zealander you may be looking to appoint someone from overseas. All non-New Zealanders need to hold a valid visa to work in New Zealand. It is an offence under section 350 of the Immigration Act 2009 for an employer to allow a person who is not entitled to work for them to do so. With VisaView, you can assure yourself that any prospective employee is able to work for you.

VisaView allows registered employers to verify that prospective and current employees hold a valid visa, the conditions of the visa, and the date of expiry. Enquires are saved in the employer's VisaView account and these records can be used as evidence of compliance with the Immigration Act 2009. Find out more here.

NZ Māori Tourism's Website

Te Herenga Waka Festival set to be historic

History is set to be made when ocean voyaging canoes and crews from around New Zealand and the Pacific descend on Napier for the region's first Te Herenga Waka Festival.

Some of the most celebrated celestial navigators of ocean voyaging from around the world will be in one place to share their knowledge. Details of where and when different wānanga are happening can be found here.

Learning Te Reo Māori

Many Wananga, Universities, Polytechnics, Adult Community Education Centres, and other providers are now taking enrolments for those interested in starting their Te Reo journey or to continue their learning. Many courses are free of charge. Find out more here.

NZ Māori Tourism AGM

Due to the Kaikoura earthquake, NZ Māori Tourism's AGM was postponed until 15 February 2017. Following the AGM, the Annual Report will be sent to all members of NZ Māori Tourism who were unable to attend, and also be made available on our website. If you have any questions, please contact Lee Beazley, on 04 474 4682.

Nga Pānui (Notices) from members of the Māori tourism community

If you have an announcement you'd like here, please email amy@maoritourism.co.nz for it to be included in the next edition of Newsline. It can be anything from a job position, exhibition opening, videos or photos featuring your business, new Māori tourism products, etc.