into the future of Māori tourism
For more than a hundred years Rotorua has been a bustling tourist destination for visitors from near and far. Charlotte Muru-Lanning takes a look at how the industry has both shaped and been shaped by local Māori – and how they’re adapting for the future.
Shooting skyward through the gossamer of geothermal mist draping Rotorua, Waikite was once the pride of the city. The geyser’s 20 metre-high jets could be seen from the town centre, their waters spilling down the impressive sinter terraces that zig-zagged below.
These days, the landmark looks quite different. It’s 8pm and my flatmate Lucy and I are walking through Rotorua’s Te Puia, the precinct incorporating both Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley and the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute – set up by the government in 1963 to foster traditional arts at risk from the impacts of colonisation – with a small group of visiting Americans, Australians and Aucklanders for the Geyser by Night experience.
Link to article: A weekend in Rotorua is a glimpse into the future of Māori tourism | The Spinoff
