Rotorua

Rotorua Airport has signed a memorandum of understanding with Ngāti Uenukukōpako Iwi Trust that aims to provide more cultural input and job opportunities for youth.

An estimated 5,000 people visited Rotorua last weekend for the inaugural two-day Fast & Forward Forestry Expo.

The chief executive of one of Rotorua’s most popular attractions discusses staff retention and attraction in the current challenging environment.

The cost to stage events of this type has increased and there are many other events coming to the area in the next four months.

Eleven operators have made the shortlist at the 2022 Rotorua Business Awards.

The warning comes after two people were rescued from the Tongariro Alpine Crossing on Sunday after they became exhausted and realised the track was beyond their abilities.

Police have recovered a kayak during their search for a man missing on Lake Rotorua.

Rotorua and Queenstown are among the popular destinations that have new council leaders.

Rotorua’s newly named Te Pā Tū is putting on two new seasonal kai and Māori culture experiences for visitors.

Whakarewarewa – The Living Māori Village and Electric Bike Rotorua have partnered to offer an exclusive Whaka E-Bike Trail experience into previously non-accessible areas of the Whakarewarewa Valley Reserve.

It is the end of an era for Rotorua’s mayor, but she leaves as the city grapples with social issues impacting the destination’s reputation.

Mountain bikers could be generating more than $200m in annual visitor spend in the region in four years.

The final stage of the boardwalk around Lake Rotorua is open to the public after almost a year under construction.

Kiwis do not want to pay for Māori tourism experiences – they believe they should get them for free, says Te Puia’s Tim Cossar.

Rotorua and Invercargill will host the next two Tourism Export Council of New Zealand annual conferences.

Whakarewarewa Village is closed indefinitely while repairs are underway to fix a footpath sinkhole that severely burned an Australian tourist yesterday.

The strong results, particularly in Rotorua, are being achieved despite occupancy still in recovery, says the agent. 

The money from the Major Events Fund will support 30 mountain bike events over the next six years.

More than 19 events across the Waikato, Rotorua, Taupō and Ruapehu regions have received almost $1.3m in the second round of the Thermal Explorer Regional Events Fund.

Rainbow’s End and Polynesian Spa suffer a tough year with staffing challenges and cost inflation now putting pressure on prices.

The operator disputes some of the report’s statements over a customer fatality.

Polynesian Spa and Rainbow’s End owner Rangatira Investments says it will report net profit after tax of $9.1m for the year to March 2022, down 8% from the previous year.

EVENT Hospitality and Entertainment has rebranded Rydges Rotorua to Arawa Park Hotel, which will open on 1 July following an extensive refurbishment.

Rotorua Ziplines, a venture between an operator and local iwi, offers a 2.5-hour trip and a reforestation mission.

Skyline Rotorua has opened three new luge tracks, increasing its total number of courses on offer to five.

Polynesian Spa is celebrating its 50th year in business – a milestone occasion for what could arguably be called one of Rotorua’s most successful community and tourist attractions.

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick says New Zealand’s full border reopening on 31 July is great news for the city’s tourism and hospitality operators.

Two new cycle trails in Rotorua and Central Otago will join the Ngā Haerenga Great Rides network, the first to be added in more than a decade.

The NZ Super Fund jv appoints EVENT the new operator of the hotel.

The Rotorua attraction is ramping up its international work but is realistic about the strength of the recovery.

The destination’s operators are gearing up for Aus visitors but are realistic about numbers after the border opens.

Tourism businesses welcome the new border re-opening dates but it will take months for many to enjoy the benefits.

Toi Te Ora Public Health has issued a public health warning for Lake Rotorua, following toxic blooms of blue-green algae.

But a proposed new Great Walk through the area could be an “exciting” boost, says Adam Hughes.

The iconic tourism attraction will close its doors for good in September.

Tourism businesses across the country say they are struggling to stay alive as the Omicron wave comes crashing down on New Zealand.

The iconic Rotorua tourism attraction is planning to close its doors 90 years after opening.

One of the secrets to the success of Secret Spot Hot Tubs in Rotorua is the fact that it opened just a few months before Covid-19 struck.

Redwoods Treewalk & Nightlights has won the supreme award at the 2021 Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards.

SkyCity Casino Hamilton has been named a Covid-19 location of interest after a Covid-19 case visited between 5.33pm-6.38pm on Tuesday 25 January.

Rotorua and Queenstown have been included in the 100 most loved destinations in the Tourism Sentiment Index.

The recent fine weather is proving just the medicine for tourist-starved operators with outdoor offerings in Rotorua and Taupo, with one operator setting a new visitor record.

Operators in traditional summer destinations report good interest but those further afield are waiting.

Rangatira Investments says it saw better than expected earnings across its private businesses for the six months to September 2021, except from its tourism attractions.

The Redwood Forest near Rotorua has been lit by a 9-metre-tall light installation heralding in the Christmas season.

Around 20 operators are involved in reviving an adventure tourism qualification at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s Rotorua campus in a bid to meet a shortage of outdoor tourism staff.

The National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa at Rotorua’s Rainbow Springs Nature Park has seen a substantial increase in brown kiwi chicks but a big fall in visitor numbers since the pandemic struck.

With the international market drying up, tourism and event company MDA Experiences decided to go back to it roots as a community driven operator.

Bookings jump for operators like The Rees while others breathe a sigh of relief but all seek more details to help plan for Auckland’s return.

Tauhara North Tourism has appointed Kiri Atkinson-Crean its head of tourism.