It is with mixed emotions that I pen this month’s column, my last as chief executive of Hamilton & Waikato Tourism (HWT). I’m leaving to join Air New Zealand as regional affairs manager from mid-February and, fortunately, I’m to still be based in the Waikato to serve the regions.
It has been a privilege and honour to lead and represent the tourism and events sector for Waikato for the past five and a half years. I’m hugely proud of the achievements of the team, the organisation, and the sector throughout this time. I feel I’m leaving the organisation in good heart, with strong leadership and a draft destination management plan which will steer the sector through the next 5-10 years.
We cannot underestimate how tough and brutal the past 24 months have been for tourism – regionally and nationally. However, through times of crisis, our sector has pulled together to support one another as we navigate our way through as best we can. I have been heartened and moved by the passion for our sector which I know will be strong again.
I am extremely proud to have been at the helm of the remarkable HWT team which has worked tirelessly to achieve the aspirations set in the 2016 Tourism Opportunities Plan, including delivering game-changers like the development of our first regional visitor brand The Mighty Waikato, and the region’s first-ever Major Events Strategy.
HWT was also chosen as lead entity for the $3.75m Regional Events Fund for Waikato, Rotorua, Taupo and Ruapehu, attracted Government support for a restart and reset of our visitor economy and development of our regional ambassador programmes to build pride of place across Waikato.
Our partnerships have grown and extended outside the sector and our existing local government partners to include WEL Energy Trust and Waikato Regional Council in the establishment of our region’s first-ever film office called Waikato Screen.
Added to this, we are about to embark on implementing our new Business Events Strategy to attract more high-value conferences, meetings, exhibitions, and incentives to our region, plus leveraging the benefits of food tourism with the launch of our first Food Tourism Action Plan that will celebrate and promote our iconic food producers, food makers, bakers, brewers, tea plantation and much more. Why not celebrate that we are the home to some of the best dairy and berry producers in the world?
We have also celebrated a number of wins as a region including the Best Regional Domestic Tourism Performance Award in 2018, being named finalists in the New Zealand Tourism Awards, numerous best regional trade stands and the Waikato being named in the Top 50 Bucket List Places in the World by Forbes Travel magazine in 2019 – the only New Zealand destination.
We’ve seen our net promoter score increase significantly, achieved fourth largest domestic visitor expenditure in New Zealand, having previously been the fifth largest. Recently we were identified as one of two regions to record the largest market share increase for domestic visitors over the past 12 months (from 10 percent to 13 percent).
For Q1 and Q2 2020-21, we achieved the second largest market share for business events in New Zealand, attracting new major events and world sporting tournaments, plus substantially increasing our media profile through broadcast, print and digital channels.
However, it is now time to pass on the reins to the next leader to make their mark and take the organisation and region to the next stage. Our development manager, Nicola Greenwell, has been appointed interim GM, with the recruitment process getting underway shortly.
Richard Leggat is the new chair of Hamilton & Waikato Tourism’s board with experienced director Margaret Devlin also having joined the board.
I wish to send a heartfelt thanks to you all. Thank you for your support, guidance, advice, aroha and mahi during my time with Hamilton & Waikato Tourism. It is the people who make this sector and region so engaging and exciting, and I have felt proud to serve and represent you during this time.
Finally, I wish to close with the whakatauki (proverb):
Ngaro atu he tētēkura, whakaeke mai he tētēkura.
When one chief disappears, another is ready to appear.
Ngaa mihi nui
