Nau mai haere mai ki Te Tai Kōrero

Tēnā koutou katoa,

We hope this newsletter finds you in good spirits just two and a half weeks out from Christmas. While most of Aotearoa New Zealand is looking forward to putting its feet up over the summer break, we know that many of our operators are gearing up for the busy season. May it be a season of abundance and ease for you.

NZ Māori Tourism also had its AGM at Te Wharewaka in November. It was a good chance to sit down with our fantastic board members who bring a range of strengths to our team. You can find a copy of our Annual Report here.

Since our last newsletter, the Government has put out its tourism strategy for public consultation. We strongly encourage you to engage in this report and have your voice heard. The last day to provide your feedback is Monday, 4 February at 5pm.

This will be our last newsletter for 2018. While our office will be closed from December 21 to January 6, we will have two staff members on call in case you need anything.

Here at NZ Māori Tourism, we wish you and your whānau a safe and happy holiday period. Despite it being the busy season, we hope you find some time to sit down with your loved ones, share some waiata and kōrero and indulge in some delicious kai.

I’d like to personally thank you all for your continued support this year. This is an exciting time to be part of the Māori tourism sector. Our operators are working day in, day out showcasing our unique, precious culture to Aotearoa New Zealand and the world, and it truly is a pleasure to work along side you on this journey.

Next year we kick-off the China New Zealand Year of Tourism. This will be a great opportunity to build on our relationships with China. Throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, there will be plenty of events you can become a part of, to learn more about our Chinese manuhiri and to see how you can attract these tourists to your business.

We look forward to starting with you afresh in 2019.

~Kei te mohio koe~

DOC's Summer Campaign

Hotel Chatham's Wild Kai

Are you interested in telling your story to deepen visitors’ understanding of why your kainga is a taonga?

The Department of Conservation’s new Summer Campaign that launches in mid-December, and runs through to Easter 2019, is part of a national effort to engage local and international visitors to behave responsibly when travelling in Aotearoa.

The campaign supports the Tiaki - Care for New Zealand promise, but goes a step further and informs our manuhiri on how they should act. The areas of key concern for DOC are: safety, littering, toileting, wildlife interactions and drone use.

DOC is working with Lee Timutimu from Arataki Cultural Trails to share stories around Tiaki Pomise, biodiversity and looking after our natural environment. These stories will be recorded at selected sites in Northland, the West Coast or Otako. Arataki will record these stories for sharing on their own digital app; DOC may add images or video and share them through their own channels as part of this campaign.

If you are interested in finding out more or keen to be involved, please email Dawn Muir at DOC: dmuir@doc.govt.nz

China NZ Year of Tourism

Are you ready for the China New Zealand Year of Tourism? Don't let your Māori tourism business miss out. The 2019 China-New Zealand Year of Tourism has a range of tools and training available at the China Toolkit. There is information on China's language and etiquette, plus further training and ideas to add value to your business.

Terracotta Warriors

Don't forget to check out the 2,300-year-old terracotta warriors at Te Papa from December 15. The warriors were discovered in 1974 by a farmer digging a well. They had been secretly guarding the tomb of Qin Shihuang, China’s First Emperor. It's an incredible story and well-worth the visit if you are in Wellington between 15 December 2018 and 22 April 2019.

Business Calendar

Click here to quickly find opportunities, training, compliance dates and related tasks from across government. You can search by region, date, and category.

Hotel Chatham head chef Kaai Silbery who won The Local Wild Food Challenge in Whakatāne earlier this year.

Ever heard of an international culinary competition on the Chatham Islands? Neither had we, but what better place to host it! Chatham Island’s premiere Local Wild Food Challenge will take place on Saturday December 15 at Hotel Chatham, with locals and tourists coming together to explore the variety of wild foods on offer on the island. Chefs and cooks of all ages and skill-levels are invited to hunt or gather their kai from the local environment and use natural resources to create a scrumptious dish - and a scrumptious story to go with it.

With a live margarine sculpting demonstration, and a delicious hangi on offer, it’s bound to be an unmissable event!

Visitors are encouraged to pull up a pew and grab a fork to taste the fine Chatham Islands delicacy.

To find out more visit Local Wild Food Challenge.

Petre Bay Taster : blue cod, kina tears, creamed paua, crayfish foam, kopi jam, fried scales, piko piko, baby watercress, served on Chatham Island driftwood and rangiora leaves, covered with a glass dome to retain the kopi smoke - all sourced entirely from the Chatham Islands by Hotel Chatham head chef Kaai Silbery.

IRD reminder

IRD wants to remind businesses that payday filing will no longer be voluntary after April next year.
All business owners should get their business ready to start payday filing as soon as possible before it becomes compulsory.
For those that missed out on Inland Revenue’s seminars held across the country from September to November, you can watch an on-demand webinar on payday filing, or register for their next upcoming webinar.
Check out Inland Revenue’s website for important information about payday filing and videos to help you get ready.
Payday filing is a big part of making tax simpler and more accurate for all New Zealanders.
Get ready for payday filing today – if you have any questions, please contact IRTransformation@ird.govt.nz

~Congratulations~

There has been some fantastic media coming out on Māori tourism businesses recently, as well as some top industry recognition. Here's a taster of what's been happening.

Te Wehi Haka - The Haka Experience (Promo Video)

Tāpeta and Annette Wehi form Te Wehi Haka - The Haka Experience have launched their latest promo video. The 3 minute 18 second video portrays beautiful shots of the team performing haka, kapahaka and poi. The promo video invites viewers to go with them on a "spiritual journey of discovery" through their breathtaking performances. It's breath-taking alright! Ka rawe!

Kāpiti Islands Nature Tours featured in an episode from B-Sides Story podcast. During the 20 minute interview, the children of tangaroa can be heard whistling in the background as Manaaki Barrett talks about how the family owned business is sharing the Island's unique birdlife, culture and history, and how Kāpiti Island Nature Tours are taking a sustainable approach to grow the whanau-run tourism operation. B-Side Stories is aired every Tuesday from 5-6 pm on Wellington Access Radio.

Take a listen here.

New Zealand Māori Tourism member Rafting New Zealand has been awarded Qualmark Gold Status. The family-run business began in 1991 and is now run by the next generation, Luke and Pianika Boddington. They are now only one of two rafting companies in Aotearoa to hold Gold status - the other being Kaitiaki Adventures. Kā pai kōrua!

Check out our blog!

All in Good Time - how to transform a mimi-stop into a tourism hub

Starting a small Māori tourism business in a place that is only seen as a mimi (pee) stop on the way through to the Bay of Islands is no easy feat. We are breaking new ground in an industry that is unheard of in Whangarei, Tu Tika Tours Rangimarie Harding reflects. Read more here.

~Nga whakaahua~

We want to share with you some beautiful moments from around Aotearoa. Recently our office manager and EA to the CEO, Lee Beazley, went to investigate what was causing a ruckus on the Petone foreshore. Turns out it was this lazy seal waking up from a moe. The kererū was spotted in the backyard of her Wainuiomata home. Ataahua.

~What we've been up to~

Earlier this month, we received an office defibrillator. Problem was – no one knew how to use it! Luckily for us, Denny from St John’s Ambulance came to our offices with a couple of mannequins and took us through the steps to responsibly approach an emergency situation and use Automated External Defibrillators.

The steps are:

Danger: Look, listen, smell ask
Response: Are they alert? Do they respond to your voice? Can they communicate if they are in pain? Are they unresponsive?
Send for help: Call 111 (Did you know
Airway: Check if they are breathing, tilt their head and lift chin
Breathing: Look, listen and feel for 10 secs
CPR: hard and fast
Defibrillator: ASAP

These are vital steps to take to save someone’s life. An AED can increase someone's chance of survival by up to 80% if applied immediately.

Denny's advice to us, which we want to give to you, is to download the free AED Locations app to you phone. It provides a map with all of the locations of defibrillators near you. You can do so from your Google Play or iTunes Store.

New Zealand Māori Tourism Chair Dale Stephens went to the Gold Coast recently for the 8th Queensland Tourism Industry Council's Indigenous Employment Forum. Dale was invited to speak about the journey of Māori tourism and share any lessons learned that our Aboriginal whānau could take on board.

He also presented a second talk on "fake art". Sadly, Australian Aboriginal people have borne the brunt of fake art, with tens of thousands of boomerangs, bullroarers and didgeridoos.

Recently, for Māori, we’ve seen a Korean pop-group use a Māori karakia in their songs. And just this week, a Maori cultural advisor in Denmark is looking to take legal action against a German company teaching haka workshops.

"Our Aboriginal whānau have a range of challenges they are facing, many similar to those we have faced here in Aotearoa," Dale said.

" The feeling I got from talking to tourism operators, industry groups and government ministers is that there is finally a willingness to work together to develop an inclusive tourism policy to support indigenous development and protection of their culture."

Ngā Pānui from members of NZ Māori Tourism

Have an announcement? Want to distribute a job position, share photos, great news or tell us about an upcoming event? Email dani@maoritourism.co.nz or call 04 474 4704.