Rotorua-based, Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa, the iwi-owned luxury spa managed by Belgravia Leisure, is at the forefront of a powerful surge in Māori tourism – a sector that has grown by 23 percent since 2018, now valued at $1.2 billion, according to recently released Census data.
Released in March, the figures highlight the rising appetite for authentic Māori tourism experiences, both internationally and domestically. With Rotorua recently hosting TRENZ 2025 (New Zealand’s largest international tourism business event) and home to over 30 Māori operators, the city’s reputation as the cultural heart of Aotearoa is once again in the spotlight.
Wai Ariki is a $60 million luxury spa on the Rotorua lakefront, owned by local iwi Ngāti Whakaue. This year, it hosted the NZ Māori Tourism and Tourism New Zealand breakfast event with buyers from the Asia market – a key networking opportunity for Māori tourism operators attending TRENZ, which hit record RSVPs.
Wai Ariki General Manager, Debbie Robertson says the event was a chance to celebrate Māori-led tourism success, and that the Census data reflects what many in the industry are already witnessing.
“Māori tourism is thriving because our offerings provide something deeply authentic,” says Robertson. “Visitors aren’t just seeing the culture – they’re feeling it. It’s a sense of place, purpose, and belonging that’s unique to our country.
“In Aotearoa, and particularly Rotorua, we have a fierce cohort of Māori tourism operators, who are boldly and unapologetically powered by their people and values, and that resonates with people.
“At Wai Ariki, our own connection to Ngāti Whakaue and Te Ao Māori isn’t just part of the story, it is the story. It grounds us, guides us, and gives us the confidence to think big.”
Wai Ariki is New Zealand’s first and only iwi-owned, luxury wellness spa, blending award-winning architecture with immersive Māori bathing experiences and the healing power of nature. Offering a unique fusion of wellness, manaakitanga and cultural immersion, it exemplifies the future of Māori tourism and draws both local and international attention to Rotorua’s growing significance in the sector.
The spa was represented alongside many others in the recent Te Ōhanga Māori report, showing the Māori tourism sector contributed $1.2 billion to GDP in 2023, up from 975 million in 2018. Since 2018, the number of Māori-owned enterprises has climbed from 19,200 to more than 24,000, and the Māori economy is now valued at $126 billion.
The Māori Tourism Breakfast was a private event held at Wai Ariki on Wednesday 7 May with operators attending TRENZ 2025 from the far North to the bottom of the South Island.
