Collaboration is a powerful force driving economic growth and community vitality.
At a time when budgets are constrained, working together can address common challenges, pool expertise and resources, and create synergies that lead to sustainable development, and have a larger impact than would be possible at an individual level.
Nicola Greenwell
While domestically, regions across the motu are all friendly competitors, international travellers don’t see regional boundaries. Strong partnerships with our neighbouring regions allow us to share a common message highlighting the central North Island and our Pacific Coast Highway and the Thermal Explorer Highway touring routes.
In long-haul markets like the USA, UK and Europe, Waikato joins a collective partnership with seven other regions, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Taupō, Rotorua, Ruapehu, Tairawhiti Gisborne and Hawkes Bay; known as Explore Central North Island to promote the country as a visitor destination.
The relationship allows us to pool our financial and staff resources and stretch our collective efforts further than we could as individual regions.
Another key regional partnership we are part of is the Thermal Explorer Regional Events Fund, a collaborative effort across the Waikato, Rotorua, Taupō, and Ruapehu regions.
The $3.75 million fund, which is now in its final year of operation, was established by central government in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic to stimulate domestic tourism. This fund supports diverse events, from cultural events to business conferences and trail runs.
Approximately 370,000 people are expected to attend these events.
The fund also provides capability building opportunities for event organisers in the four regions.
Looking southwards, we joined forces with Venture Taranaki throughout the pandemic to develop The Waikato to Taranaki Way, a curated self-drive itinerary along the west coast of the North Island.
We also undertake partnerships to create industry resources and build capability.
An example of central government and local agencies coming together to create a legacy resource is our new Destination Insights Dashboard.
Alone, we couldn’t have financially achieved this, but by partnering with neighbouring regions we were able to create a shared data platform and regional statistics dashboard. This analysis tool is designed for us to use in business planning, operational forecasting and marketing activities.
Of course, collaboration doesn’t just happen when funding is involved, some of our most powerful regional and national partnerships are simply based on sharing knowledge and advice.
As a network of regional tourism organisations across the country the strength of our camaraderie and willingness to share intel, learnings and collectively problem-solve, rises the tide for us all, and the communities we serve.
And it goes without saying that good people are at the heart of any collaboration. Without the tight-knit working relationships we have with our national partners such as Tourism New Zealand, Business Events Industry Aotearoa, New Zealand Events Association, Tourism Industry Aotearoa, and Tourism Export Council New Zealand, and our local ones including councils, tourism operators, fellow business associations and community groups, we just couldn’t achieve all the mahi and success that we do.
