New Zealand’s opportunities for spa resort development, especially within the natural hot spring region of Rotorua, are outlined by Steve Chadwick – Mayor of Rotorua – in an exclusive Thought Leader column for Spa Opportunities.

THOUGHT LEADER: Steve Chadwick, Mayor of Rotorua, New Zealand

New Zealand’s hot spring development opportunities

Our story in New Zealand is one of open spaces, open hearts and open minds. Rotorua is the true heart of New Zealand – both geographically and culturally. A visit to Rotorua and New Zealand is actually all about health and wellness, with a beautiful backdrop of lakes and forests, friendly people, numerous healthy activities and a great place to rejuvenate.

We want to be known as a place of spas and wellness. For Rotorua, spa development represents a great economic opportunity and we are taking an active role to pull together a plan of what a modern hot springs spa destination needs. We are working with the industry to attract investment and as part of our commitment to revitalise our district as a spa destination we have joined the global and Australasian spa networks.

We want to weave in native therapies, building on our expertise in cultural wellbeing and natural remedies. These include ‘mere mere’ massage with rongoa, manuka with its super-bug antibacterial properties and native local herbs.

New Zealand is a world-leader in geothermal energy and direct use. Rotorua is the birthplace of New Zealand tourism originally based on the Pink and White Terraces – deemed ‘the 8th wonder of the world’ until Mount Tarawera erupted and buried them in 1886. Now Rotorua hosts 3.2 million visitors per annum with 1.3 million of these being international tourists. Australia’s east coast population of 10 million is just three-and-a-half hours by air from Rotorua. A further two million people live within a three hour drive of Rotorua.

The economic growth opportunities in the wellness tourism sector span health, recreational and well-being tourism. There are significant opportunities for Maori economic involvement in virtually all these new growth areas given their land and geothermal resource ownership.

With abundant natural resources and stunning locations, Rotorua has plans to create a major high value tourism destination based on becoming a true ‘Spa City’.