The Minister of Tourism Hon. Peeni Henare was warmly welcomed to the Raetihi Marae last week (12 April 23) where he received a presentation on Tahia Ko Puanga – Ruapehu’s Destination Management Plan.
Alongside the presentation of Tahia Ko Puanga the Minister heard details on a number of aspirational development projects including the Pōkākā Ecosanctuary, Pipiriki Hub project and Future Ohakune town revitalisation work.
Mayor Weston Kirton said that he wanted to thank Minister Henare for his visit and Ngāti Uenuku for hosting the day.
“It was very exciting to be able to talk to the Minister directly about our tourism aspirations and gain his support for working with us to build a resilient visitor sector,” he said.
“It was clear the Minister had a very good understanding of what regions like Ruapehu with small populations, but large visitor pressures needed to ensure tourism is sustainable, regenerative, and benefited local communities.
Significantly the Minister recognises the importance of the things that enable sustainable tourism development such as a diverse range of offerings and having the underlying infrastructure that can support growth.
We look forward to working with the Minister and his colleagues on unlocking the many opportunities before us,” he said.
*END*
