Two Griffith Business School researchers say Aotearoa New Zealand is entering a pivotal moment in reimagining tourism, following a nine-day, 2,400-kilometre research trip across the South Island as part of the MBIE-funded project He karapitipitinga mariko - Immersive regenerative tourism experiences in Aotearoa.
Griffith PhD candidates Lisa Marie Loehr and Yue Liu joined research partners across four regions to explore how immersive technologies and local knowledge could help create more sustainable, community-led visitor experiences.
"We have to be brave enough to change the paradigm we're working with," Ms Loehr said.
"Tourism can no longer be about the relentless pursuit of growth - it must be about designing a system that strengthens communities, culture and the environment."
Between 2024 and 2025, New Zealand welcomed an estimated 3.41 million international visitors, but the researchers say the post-pandemic landscape has accelerated calls for a "tourism reset". Workshops with operators, iwi and community groups revealed strong enthusiasm for new models that blend in-person and virtual experiences while ensuring benefits stay local.
"Everywhere we went, people shared their aspirations for a regenerative tourism future," Ms Liu said.
"What stood out was the importance of partnership - listening first, observing, and only then speaking. That approach is essential for designing solutions that genuinely reflect place-based needs."
9 days, 5 locations, 4 workshops, and 1 great team
Within the MBIE research programme, the team began to build its collaboration with operators, iwi, communities and destination managers to reimagine South Westland tourism and co-create a regenerative future. Discussions focused on:
- Co-creation: collaboration across agencies, iwi, communities, politics, visitors, academia and environmental capacities
- Locally defined priorities: immersive technologies as tools for shaping tourist stewardship
- Measurable outcomes: defining "regeneration" and metrics beyond economic outcomes
The first 'Living Lab' explored aspirations for a resilient, knowledge-intensive and low-carbon tourism system, providing a critical step for ongoing research.
A stay at Te Rau Aroha Marae in Bluff offered a powerful experience of manaakitanga, hosting the first 'All-Team Meeting' and reinforcing the central role of Māori worldviews in shaping regenerative models.
The visit also provided significant professional insights. "Relationship-building, reflection and continuous engagement are crucial," Ms Loehr said. "Data sovereignty and protecting local knowledge must sit at the centre of our work."
Loehr and Liu will continue developing their research through a summer program at the University of Otago, strengthening their understanding of Māori knowledge systems before returning to work with communities on technology-supported regenerative tourism solutions.
As Ms Liu reflected, "Aotearoa showed us its full richness - from snowy peaks to glacier valleys to the warmth of shared kai. The experience has set a powerful foundation for long-term collaboration."
Hei konā mai.
