Mokoia spa to enhance Maaori tourism experience
Tourists are set to be the winners with the launch of the new Wai Ora Spa - Mokoia Island Experience in Lake Rotorua.
The venture, launched by Associate Tourism Minister Nanaia Mahuta is set to offer a unique cultural and ecological
tourism experience.
"The Wai Ora Spa - Mokoia Island Experience is ideally placed to offer both Kiwis and international visitors a quality
Maaori tourism experience," said Nanaia Mahuta.
"With recent Ministry of Tourism figures indicating more than half a million tourists have had a taste of the Maaori
experience, the Wai Ora Mokoia Island Experience is going to offer an opportunity for visitors to gain an even greater
knowledge of indigenous Aotearoa/New Zealand."
Nanaia Mahuta said the new spa is in line with the Labour-led government's key goals in the recently released New
Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015.
"The two key principles of the Strategy are kaitiakitanga - of our environment and culture, and manaakitanga toward our
visitors," said Nanaia Mahuta.
"The Strategy aims for New Zealand to deliver a world class visitor experience, and identifies Maaori culture as
offering a uniqueness that sets Aotearoa/New Zealand apart from the rest of the world.
"The Wai Ora Spa- Mokoia Island Experience reflects the huge potential offered by an 'authentic' Maaori experience and
is sure to provide a quality product that combines local history and culture, ecology and a premier spa facility all in
one.
ENDS