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Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617
1
Introduction
The purpose of this informative report is to establish the research found on Kohutapu Lodge
& Tribal Tours in terms of its operation, achievements and (potential) success as a Maori
operated tourism company within New Zealand. Firstly, this report will give the history and
background behind the business and describe what type of activities and services the
company has to offer. Secondly, an analysis will be carried out of the Maori tourism
company’s target markets and provide forecasting for the target market/s described. Thirdly,
a competition matrix will be displayed of five direct/indirect competitors to Kohutapu Lodge
& Tribal Tours. Fourthly, a web audit will be provided of the tour company’s internet website
and finally this report will contain a discussion behind potential future success of Kohutapu
Lodge & Tribal Tours within the New Zealand tourism industry.
History and background of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours
Kohutapu Lodge (formally trading as Lake Aniwhenua Lodge) is a lakeside accommodation
and Maori cultural tourism product located in the heartland of Murupara, 65 kilometres
south-east of Rotorua nestled on the edge of Lake Aniwhenua. In the 1960s-70s Murupara
residents had high incomes and the town had many of the facilities that existed in Rotorua.
With the opening of the Kaingaroa Logging Company in 1981, this created a majority of the
fulltime jobs for residents, however within five years the company resulted with the loss of
over 250 jobs which resulted in an outflow of population from Murupara and a downturn in
the local economy (McClintock, 1998). With the decline of the local economy in the late
1980’s, Nadine Toetoe now one of the owners of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours, left
Rotorua to move back to Murupara, and opened the lodge on the shores of Lake Aniwhenua
with the hopes of a more positive future for Murupara.
Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours is owned and operated by a local Maori family with Nadine
Toetoe and her husband Karl at the head of the business. The Toe Toe whanau (family)
belong to the Ngati Manawa Tribe, and their whakapapa (family tree) stretches back to these
lands 400 years before the Great Migration, to the first inhabitants of this rohe (land within
the tribal boundaries). Many of their stories have been handed down generation to generation
and are waiting to be shared especially with you, along with plenty of interactive cultural
activities and traditional kai (food) experiences (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016). Nadine and Karl
were assisted by the Poutama Trust in starting their own tourism lodge in Murupara who are
an independent charitable trust established in 1988 to provide business development services
to Maori (Poutama Trust, 2014). According to Kohutapu Lodge (2016), the company’s dream
is “to create an unpretentious cultural tourism and accommodation experience at grassroots
level – authenticating the life experiences of Maori and establishing a truthful representation
of who we are today as a people, for our visitors. Our business is whanau (family) owned
and operated. The experiences we offer are genuine and relaxed in an intimate natural
setting” and their mission as a Maori tourism business is to “create an outstanding, intimate,
interactive and highly sought after cultural experience off the beaten track in the heart of
Murupara, where we will share tribal stories, food and visit sites of significance before
staying overnight in a culturally themed accommodation. Our long term goal is to create
employment and further support the local economy, not only through sourcing our local
produce, but working with the Iwi and the Marae where and when we can. Social
responsibility will also be woven into our tours where our visitors will be engaging and
giving back to the tamariki (children) of this area through our schools”.
Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617
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Description of activity/services offered
Kohutapu Lodge offer 48 beds spread across a number of various accommodation options
which include private lodge cabins, self-contained cottages and sheltered private grassed sites
overlooking the lake for camping purposes. The lodge cabins contain new bunkbeds,
mattresses and linen with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities while the self-contained
cottages contain ensuites, dining rooms, kitchenettes and Sky TV. The visitors who choose to
camp also have full use of the shared bathroom/kitchen/dining facilities. Prices for
accommodation options vary from $35.00 for camping to $80.00 for cabins to $130.00 for
cottages. As well as the accommodation as per mentioned there are a number of other
facilities that visitors have access to during their stay. These facilities include a communal
lounge room, communal dining room, shared shower and toilet facilities, coin operated
washing machine and dryer, cooking facilities, fridges, BBQ area, Sky TV and a fish cleaning
area (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016).
Within services offered, Kohutapu Lodge also offer the option to pay for a traditional ground
cooked hangi. Visitors will get to see the food being set on hot rocks in an earthen pit, before
being covered with wet sacks and dirt where it will cook for up to three hours. Included
within the hangi is lamb, chicken, pork, potatoes, kumara, pumpkin and hangi stuffing. With
the hangi visitors will also have access to fried bread, a variety of salads and finish with
dessert of triffle, fruit salad and cream. On top of this depending on seasonality guests may
also be able to experience eel, watercress, sweetcorn, kamokamo, smoked trout, venison and
wild pork. Hangi meals cost $40 per child and $50 per adult. After communal dining, visitors
are welcome to congregate in the communal lounge room to listen to fascinating Maori story
telling from Maurice Toetoe the father of the family who is a highly respected elder within
the local Maori iwi (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016).
On-site guests have the opportunity to take part in cultural Maori activities including Maori
bread cooking classes, flax weaving and learning how to wield traditional Maori weapons.
Off-site guests can take part in fishing, eeling, waka paddling, kayaking and even deer and
pig hunting and game bird hunting trips. Flax weaving cooking classes, fishing, eeling and
waka paddling can be purchased individually or as a package to save on costs for visitors who
want the whole experience. They can also be packaged with local half day tours of the area
by Maurice. Hunting trips can be purchased as a half trip at $500.00pp or full day trip at
$850.00pp. Animals available for hunting is on a seasonal basis. As an extra treat visitors
have the chance to travel with Nadine to the local primary school on the morning following a
hangi with food parcels created from all the left-over food from the evening before for all the
school children, many who are from underprivileged families. Guests are also able to
exchange cultural knowledge with the school children and teach them about where they are
from to help future educate the local community (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016).
Analysis of target markets and forecasting
When identifying the primary target market/s of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours it is
important to consider the market/s based on demographic, geographic, psychographic and
behavioural segmentation. As the company does not directly identify their target market/s
within the written information on their website it required looking into over informational
avenues such as photos on their website, types of products offered and their pricing options
and most importantly feedback from previous visitors both on their website and on trip
Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617
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advisor where many of the visitors identify the type of visitor they are. It was found that at
more than half of the customer feedback posts were from overseas tourists who were part of a
tour group using the New Zealand bus tour company ‘Stray’ (Trip Advisor, 2016). Looking at
the Stray website it was discovered that Kohutapu Lodge was one of the businesses that Stray
fully endorsed within many of their tours (Stray, 2016). Based from this information it is
possible to determine a primary target market based on each area of market segmentation.
First and foremost, Stray primarily targets backpackers visiting New Zealand from overseas,
often experiencing their OE. From this it was necessary to research some statistics.
According to Tourism New Zealand (2016), the backpacker segment aged 18-24 years
represents approximately 11% of New Zealand’s holiday arrivals and visitor spending which
makes it a valuable visitor segment for New Zealand. Furthermore, backpackers account for
over 159,000 visitors to New Zealand each year and spending an average of over $3,700.
Looking at the photos throughout the Stray website all of the photos taken appear to be of
travellers within this age bracket and Stray (2016) also state that ‘Stray’s guided bus network
is designed for adventurous travellers’ which once again supports the demographic age
bracket identified. Moreover, the photos on the Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours website also
show visitors within these age demographics (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016).
It is not enough to just identify the demographic market segmentation. One must also break
down geographically which areas these backpackers are travelling from. According to
Tourism New Zealand (2016), the current strategies in order to bring more international
backpackers into New Zealand are primarily focused on backpackers from the UK and
Europe. This target audience has been selected based on volume of arrivals, growth of
arrivals and a specific need to target this type of traveller with tailored content based on their
unique travel style. Transient backpackers from Australia have also been identified as a key
area to grow backpacker arrivals. Under the 100% Pure New Zealand brand, Tourism New
Zealand targets the backpacker segment via the ‘Play More Every Day’ campaign. In addition
to this Tourism New Zealand has formed a partnership with the Backpacker, Youth and
Adventure Travel Association (BYATA) who are Tourism New Zealand’s key New Zealand
based partner and communications channel for this sector (Tourism New Zealand, 2016).
Another popular geographical market segment are young Asian travellers who generally
travel alone. According to Tourism New Zealand (2016), Rotorua is identified as one of the
top two regions which are visited by ‘young Asian adventurers’ and 61% of this market
sector chose to travel as part of a tour group and top attractions visited include geothermal
attractions, hot pools, short bush walks and cultural experiences which once again supports
international backpackers being a primary target market for Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours
(Tourism New Zealand, 2016).
Finally, in identifying the target segmentation based on psychographics this area can also be
known as ‘lifestyle’ and is measured by looking into the activities, interests and more
importantly the motivators behind why the visitors have travelled to New Zealand. Based on
statistical information found and previously discussed within demographic and geographic
market segmentation, it was found that the youth market of backpackers come here for a mix
of adventure tourism, cultural experiences and to experience the ‘clean green’ unique New
Zealand landscape, all areas which Stray extensively cover within their tours. In relation to
this even if backpackers coming to New Zealand have not directly booked with Kohutapu
Lodge & Tribal Tours or do not already know of the company, when the travellers choose to
Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617
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use Stray, Kohutapu Lodge is often already included as part of one of Stray’s New Zealand
Tours so Kohutapu Lodge will still receive business from this market (Tourism New Zealand,
2016). The general lifestyle of youth backpackers within New Zealand comprises mostly of
current/former international students from both domestic and international
universities/educational institutions on a low to mid-range income. Many of these
backpacking travellers choose to work on a casual basis as they travel. Statistics from
Statistics New Zealand (2016) also show over the past 15 years until the present there has
been a direct correlation between seasonality and backpacker accommodation occupancy
rates with the months December/January having an occupancy rate of/or close to 100%.
Further discussion of future target markets for Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours will be
continued with discussion of company potential success.
Competition matrix
The following chart shows a competition matrix of five Maori owned/operated New Zealand
Tourism businesses who are direct competitors to Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours. Although
Kohutapu Lodge is placed in an ideal New Zealand location to receive high amounts of
tourism, it also has to compete with multiple Maori owned/operated businesses in the local
area as Rotorua is the largest hotspot for Maori owned/operated tourism businesses. All
information on the businesses below has been sourced from the following references (shown
in order). (Tamaki Maori Village, 2016; Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Tours, 2016; Te
Puia, 2016; Mitai Maori Village, 2016; Ngai Tahu Tourism, 2016).
Name of
Competitor
Services
Provided
Strengths Weaknesses
Tamaki Maori
Village
 Facial tattooing,
weaving, carvingand
Maori foodcooking
demonstrations
 Invitations to participate
in stick games, warrior
training, poi learning
andhaka performing
 Cultural performances
of dance, song,
weaponry displays and
stick games.
 Traditional sharedfeast
of Maori hangi buffet
 Transfers toandfrom all
Rotorua accommodation
 LivingPre-European
Maori Village
 Licencedbar
 Private outdoorspa
 Overnight
accommodation(linen
andbedding provided)
 Continental breakfast
(with overnight stay)
 Complimentarytransfers fromall Rotorua
accommodation.
 Experiences stagedtobe as authentic as
possible.
 Traditional hangi feast
 Strategically placed
 Language translation features on website
 Student discount pricing
 Extensive marketingcoverage through
Tourism NewZealandandsocial media.
 Minimum group size of
10 requiredfor overnight
stay
 Website is ratherdark
andgloomy (however
this may be to reflect tour
takes place at night)
 Experience maybe ‘too’
authentic forcertain
overseas tourists and
overwhelmingor
frightening(particularly
takingplace afterdark).
Whakarewarewa –
The Maori Living
Village
 Three different tour
options including
Wakarewarewa Village
Tour, Tararewa Legacy
Tour andRotorua
Trilogy Tour
 Personalisedtattooservice is a unique
sellingpoint forbusiness.
 Campinggroundaccommodationoffered
(very cheap)
 Many products at gift shopare tailoredto
meet theregioni.e. mudandhoney products.
 Extensive educationon Maori traditions and
customs
 Minimum group booking
of 10 peopleor more
requiredfor overnight
stay.
 Large amount of
educational information
given is on scientific
Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617
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 Education on everyday
geothermal energy by
Maori people.
 Traditional songand
dance by Te Pakira
Performance Group
 Overnight Marae stay.
 Cruise ship packages
 Personalisedtattoo
design by Maori Taa
Moko artist basedon
informationsharedby
visitors about
themselves.
 Gift shop sellingMaori,
honey andmud
products.
 Hot water beach –
campground
 Clever use of hot pools tocookeggs and
corn (unique sellingpoint).
 Full traditional Maorihangi
 GNS Science Facility
 Open all day
rather thanMaori cultural
aimed.
 No prices listedon
website for overnight
stays
 High percentage of
business is
commercialisedrather
than culturallypurposed.
Te Puia  Showcased Maori dance
andsong.
 Maori guidedtours of
native bush and
geothermal valley.
 Maori guides offer
stories baseddown from
their tipuna (ancestors).
 Watch andinteract with
master Maori carvers,
weavers andtheir
students.
 Cultural programmes
every year.
 Witness geothermal
cuisine up close and
personal at
Ngararatuatara– natural
cookingpool.
 Taonga Gallery Gift
Shop
 Opportunitytoviewlive
kiwi birds in nocturnal
kiwi house.
 Offers both day andnight tours
 New ZealandMāori Arts andCrafts Institute
grantedcompany therole ofguardians of
Māori arts, crafts andculture.
 Home to the national schools of Māori
carvingandweaving.
 Te Puia has been involvedfor over40 years
in the carvingof over 30 wharenui (meeting
houses) throughout NewZealandandcreated
countless gifts forofficial guests and
dignitaries visitingNewZealand(good
marketingpublicity).
 Products soldin gift shopare authentically
made by mater Maori carvers andtheir
students.
 Commercialization of
authentic Maori products.
 Business only offers
tours/experiences but no
accommodationoptions.
 Website contains more
educational information
than tourist product
information.
 Possible influence by
commercialization due to
tourism on Maori
products/service offered
– possible staged
authenticity.
Mitai Maori
Village
 Authentic cultural
performance through
songs, dance, tales,
legends anddisplays of
weaponry andpoi
performance
 Display of war canoe
handcarvedmy Mitai
family beingpaddled
down the Wai-O-Whiro
Stream by authentically
dressed Maori warriors.
 Authentic hangi meal
cookedin hangi pit.
 Guided bush/glowworm
walks.
 Unique sellingpoints tomake experience
more authentic such as Maori warriors in
handcarvedcanoeandchilledwater with
meal servedright fromthe springs on
location
 Complimentarypickup from local
accommodation.
 Product appears much less influenced by
commercializationthanother similar
Maori products.
 Packages verymoderatelypriced
 No accommodation
type
products/overnight
experiences offered
 In order to view
package prices, you
needto start a booking
first
 Possible a little ‘too
authentic’ or
intimidatingforsome
international tourists.
 No gift shop to
encourage extra
spending(howeverthis
can also be a positive
as it preserves cultural
products within the
local tribe).
Rainbow Springs
Nature Park
 Close encounters with
tuatara feeding/talk,
blue tonguedlizard,
water dragon, native
reptiles, eelingfeeding
andtrout feeding/talk
 Bird encounters/shows
with canopyaviary
(where youcan feed
birds), exotic birds,
 Product is very
environmentally/educationally/conservation
designed
 More suitedto childrenwhich manyother
Maori ownedbusiness are not (some may
be too frighteningfor youngerchildren).
 Quite unique from any other Maori owned
products within NewZealand.
 No Maori cultural
experience within
products offeredfor
visitors who may want
that
 Majorityof product is
targetedsolely at child
market,needs more
market segmentation
Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617
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Parakeet Islandand
other NZ native birds
includingkaka, weka,
kea andmorepork.
 ‘Big Splash’ 9-minute
boat ride with some of
NZ’s unique stories
 Gift shop andcafé.
 Become a junior keep
programme.
 Sponsor a kiwi.
 Annual pass available which offers large
discounts at on site shops andother
bonuses
 Maori tribe (Ngai Tahu)owners operate
nine other tourismbusinesses within New
Zealand.
for off-peakseasonal
times.
When analysing some of the direct competitors to Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours as
displayed above, it was found that these competitors carried a variety of different strengths
and weaknesses. However, certain patterns did appear in a number of these competitors
including the obvious influence of commercialization of many of these products.
Unfortunately, this can lead to things such as loss of cultural identity and traditionally values
and staged authenticity. As clearly evident in indigenous tourism today, tourism can be an
economic necessity but a social evil (Browne, 1996).
Web audit
The following chart is an audit of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours’ website. The audit looks
at all aspects of design of the website including the choice of web address name based on its
purpose and the target audience, the overall functionality of the website and quality/choice of
the information displayed on the website and the layout, navigation flexibility and links to
other areas of context outside of the website displayed within the website.
Web address, purpose and
audience
Functionality, information
and content of the website
Layout, navigation, links
of the website (anything
missing unclear)
Webaddress -
http://www.kohutapulodge.co.nz/
 The functionally ofthe company
website does what it is intendedto do.
It clearly informs what the company
has to offer andall relevant
informationa visitor wouldrequire is
easy to find.
 The layout ofthe website is simple
however this is not a badthingas it is
makes it easy for theviewer tolocate
all the appropriate information they are
after without overcomplicating
navigationof thewebsite.
 The colours ofthe website andin
particular the font has been well
chosen in relationto makingit easy to
readthe writingdisplayede.g. white
text ondark backgroundandvice
versa.
 The choice of URL linktotheirwebsite
although it clearly identifies the
companywithinthe webaddress, the
name ‘Kohutapulodge’ cantake a
moment totype andis easy tomisspell,
particularlyfortourists fromoutside of
New Zealand, possible shorteningthe
URL name to ‘Kohulodge’ tosomething
similar would be appropriate.
 Also the website address only identifies
the accommodationpart of theproduct
which may be less important to tourists
than the Maori tour cultural part of the
product itself.
 The information displayedon thesite
is well chosen andappropriate to the
target audience. The informationis
plenty extensive but as the same time
simply writtenso it is not over
complicatedforthosetounderstand
who do not have English as a first
language.
 The links featuredon the website are
very limitedbut cover all necessary
avenues includinga link to Trip
Advisor. However, this link only takes
the viewer to theTripAdvisor
homepage ratherthanthe companies’
profile withinTripAdvisor.
 Another appropriate linkis to the
companies Facebook page whichis
important as social media is a valuable
way to market a tourism business
today with so manypeople
(particularly theyounger market) being
technologically adept.
Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617
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 Overall the website is verysimple to
navigate andall relevant information a
tourist mayrequire is easy to locate.
 In doinga Google search usingthe key
words ‘NewZealandMaori tours’ and
even narrowingit down to ‘Rotorua
Maori tours’ KohutapuLodge & Tribal
Tours does not evenappearin the first
Google pages. This couldbe possible be
because KohutapuLodge is not centrally
locatedin relationtoRotorua.
 Gettingon the first Google page as a
business is a combinationof several
things:
- Based on views of the website by people
browsing.
- Original content i.e.your companycan
be dockedfor stealingcontent from
others pages.
- Link your website to appropriate and
commonly usedkeywords
- Change your website code/linkto
somethingmore appropriate
- Pay money to Google be on the first
page
 It is also important tonotethat although
using a local address e.g ‘.co.nz’can
earn youpoints for people searching
locally it can affect your popularity on
an international scale.Kohutapu Lodge
uses a co.nz link so maybe shouldinvest
in a .com relatedlinklike someof its
large competitors such as Tamaki Tours.
 The website includes all important and
relevant informationwhich shouldbe
requiredby a business includingan
overviewof the company,veryclear
step by step instructions as well as a
map for howto locate theproperty, A
full list andoverviewof all products
offeredwhich are split into categories
i.e. accommodation, food, tours,
activities etc., full contact details for
further enquires andone of themost
important things clear prices onall
products offeredby thecompany.
 The website appears tocoverall
appropriate avenues however some
things which may be lackinginclude:
- With so manyregularlyusedsocial
media applications usedtoday it would
be sensible to covermore avenues that
just Facebook such as Twitter,
Instagram,Pinterest, Tumlrand
Snapchat.
- It couldalso be constructiveto
possible provide someother type of
interactive media within their website
such as videos or sound.
Discussion of company potential success
The final area to evaluate for Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours is a discussion of the
company’s potential success. There are a number of factors to consider when evaluating the
success of a tourism company. One such issue/barrier involved with running a Maori tourism
business is the negative perceptions of tourism on Maori culture and values. As explained
earlier more and more Maori owned tourism businesses are becoming affected by
commercialization. This is primarily because although the Maori people wish to retain their
traditional customs and values, in order for a tourism business to be able to cover operating
costs and more importantly make a profit they must look into all avenues to bring in more
revenue from tourists which in the case of a Maori operated tourism business can lead to
staged authenticity and mass production of Maori items such as a Taongas, Maori clothing
and traditional objects which originally carried an extremely cultural/sacred value to that
Maori people but now is being sold for profit to tourists who many don’t view it that way
(The Stafford Group, 2000). However, in the case of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours they
have managed to keep the influence to commercialization to a minimum and only offering
authentic type products which are related to the land, traditional culture and values and other
natural areas of the environment. Although not being centrally located like some of the larger
Maori tourism owned businesses may be seen as a hindrance, it allows them to operate in a
more remote region which has not yet been touched by commercialization and therefore
better preserve the traditional Maori customs/values of the local tribe and just as importantly
preserve the untouched land (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016).
Another important factor/barrier to consider within operating a successful tourism business is
the owner’s/operators knowledge of the tourism industry both on a local and national scale.
Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617
8
Unfortunately, the average percentage of uneducated Maori people is much higher than that
today of New Zealand/European people which gives tourism business’s owned/operated by
Europeans that advantage of Maori operators as they are often far more educated to begin
with (The Stafford Group, 2000). However, it is fortunate for Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal
Tours that one of the owners of the business Nadine Toe Toe is extremely experienced and
highly educated within the New Zealand tourism industry which gives Kohutapu Lodge a
distinct advantage over its competition in this regard. Nadine has gained considerable
Marketing, Sales and operational tourism management experience and has built extensive
relationships across the NZ Tourism Distribution Chain and Tourism Operator Networks.
Nadine also has strong national operator connections having worked with the Maori Tourism
RTO and holds a Bachelor or Management Studies Degree, with a double major in Marketing
and Human Resources Management (Global Storytellers, 2016). This allows Nadine to highly
effectively manage and market Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours much more efficiently than
much of its direct/indirect competition within the New Zealand tourism industry.
Finally, one of the most pivotal areas of running a successful tourism business is revenue
management. This refers to not only revenue coming into the company but also having
enough revenue to cover costs such as marketing, overheads, staffing and establishing the
business. Once again Kohutapu Lodge has a large advantage in this avenue with Nadine
having extensive marketing, HR and tourism management experience within the industry.
Furthermore, in regards to staffing costs these are very minimal as the company is solely
owned and operated by the family with the exception of volunteers they get during busy peak
seasons which rather than pay them a wage they provide the volunteers with accommodation
and food during their stay. In addition to this Nadine has already established an extensive
social network within the New Zealand tourism industry to this helps minimize marketing
costs for the business in helps increase the company target market’s catchment area (Global
Storytellers, 2016; Kohutapu Lodge, 2016)
Conclusion
In conclusion, looking back at what has been discussed within the report it has been
discovered that Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours is a well establishment company within New
Zealand. Although it may not on the same well know level as some of its much larger
competitors, it has managed to operate quite successfully for over a decade. It is far more
untouched by commercialization which has allowed the Maori owners to maintain and
promote their traditional Maori values and customs. The company offers a variety of
products/services including accommodation, cultural tours and a vast array of mostly cultural
activities. The company appears to primarily target young backpackers within the 18-24 aged
group and of a mix of international ethnicities including European, Asian and Australian.
Although strategically placed within a tourism hotspot this means that Kohutapu Lodge has a
vast array of tourism business competition however with the owner’s vast
knowledge/educational experience of the New Zealand tourism industry and their extensive
social network this means that the company is still able to compete with the larger
competition in the area. The company’s website is very well designed however the web
address and where it is located during a Google search could be improved on and is definitely
worth investing in. Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours appears to be a must see Maori tourist
attraction within Aotearoa according to feedback from visitors and hopefully will be around
for many years to come.
Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617
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References
Browne, V. L. (1996). The Meaning of Ecotourism 'A New Zealand Perspective' . Auckland:
Massey University . Retrieved from
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massey.ac.nz%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F10179%2F6200%2F02_whole.pdf%3Fseq
uence%3D2%26isAllowed%3Dy&usg=AFQjCNEECSL6BmB52YDtLrSa
Global Storytellers. (2016). The Global Story Consultants Team. Retrieved from Global
Storytellers website: http://www.globalstoryconsultants.com/global-consultants
Kohutapu Lodge. (2016). Kohutapu Lodge - about us. Retrieved from Kohutapu Lodge &
Tribal Tours website: http://www.kohutapulodge.co.nz/about-us.html
McClintock, W. (1998). Resource Community Formation & Change: A Case Study of
Murupara. Christchurch: Taylor Baines & Associates. Retrieved from
http://www.tba.co.nz/pdf_papers/1998_wp_07_murupara.pdf
Mitai Maori Village. (2016). Mitai Maori Village Tours - About. Retrieved from Mitai Maori
Village website: http://www.mitai.co.nz/
Ngai Tahu Tourism. (2016). Rainbow Springs Nature Park - About. Retrieved from Rainbow
Spring Nature Park website: http://www.rainbowsprings.co.nz/
Poutama Trust. (2014). Poutama Trust - About. Retrieved from Poutama Trust website:
http://www.poutama.co.nz/index.htm
Statistics New Zealand. (2016). Accomodation Survey. Wellington: Statisics New Zealand.
Retrieved from
Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617
10
http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/industry_sectors/accommodation/Accomm
odationSurvey_HOTPMar16.aspx
Stray. (2016). Kohutapu Lodge - New Zealand Backpacking Accommodation . Retrieved from
Stray website: http://www.straytravel.com/search-
results/?Search=kohutapu+lodge&action_doSearch=Submit+Query
Tamaki Maori Village Rotorua. (2016). Tamaki Tours - About. Retrieved from Tamaki Maori
Village Rotorua website: http://www.tamakimaorivillage.co.nz/rotoruawelcome
Te Puia. (2016). Te Puia - About. Retrieved from Te Puia website: http://www.tepuia.com/
The Stafford Group. (2000, November). Closing the Gaps - He matai tapoi Maori - barriers
and impediments short report. Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved from
https://autonline.aut.ac.nz/courses/1/TOUR503_2016_01/content/_3665684_1/Closin
g%20the%20gaps%20-%20short%20report.pdf
Tourism New Zealand. (2016). Backpacker Market Sector. Retrieved from Tourism New
Zealand website: http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/markets-
stats/sectors/backpacker/
Tourism New Zealand. (2016). Youth Travellers to New Zealand - Market Segment Profiles.
Wellington: Tourism New Zealand. Retrieved from
http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/media/1766/youth-markets-snapshot.pdf
Trip Advisor. (2016). Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours visitor feedback. Retrieved from Trip
Advisor New Zealand website: https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Hotel_Review-
g2578441-d2542570-Reviews-or10-Kohutapu_Lodge_Tribal_Tours-
Murupara_Bay_of_Plenty_Region_North_Island.html#REVIEWS
Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617
11
Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Tours. (2016). Whakarewarewa the Living Maori Village -
About. Retrieved from Whakarewarewa the Living Maori Village website:
http://www.whakarewarewa.com/

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Assessment 2 - Individual Report

  • 1. Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617 1 Introduction The purpose of this informative report is to establish the research found on Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours in terms of its operation, achievements and (potential) success as a Maori operated tourism company within New Zealand. Firstly, this report will give the history and background behind the business and describe what type of activities and services the company has to offer. Secondly, an analysis will be carried out of the Maori tourism company’s target markets and provide forecasting for the target market/s described. Thirdly, a competition matrix will be displayed of five direct/indirect competitors to Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours. Fourthly, a web audit will be provided of the tour company’s internet website and finally this report will contain a discussion behind potential future success of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours within the New Zealand tourism industry. History and background of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours Kohutapu Lodge (formally trading as Lake Aniwhenua Lodge) is a lakeside accommodation and Maori cultural tourism product located in the heartland of Murupara, 65 kilometres south-east of Rotorua nestled on the edge of Lake Aniwhenua. In the 1960s-70s Murupara residents had high incomes and the town had many of the facilities that existed in Rotorua. With the opening of the Kaingaroa Logging Company in 1981, this created a majority of the fulltime jobs for residents, however within five years the company resulted with the loss of over 250 jobs which resulted in an outflow of population from Murupara and a downturn in the local economy (McClintock, 1998). With the decline of the local economy in the late 1980’s, Nadine Toetoe now one of the owners of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours, left Rotorua to move back to Murupara, and opened the lodge on the shores of Lake Aniwhenua with the hopes of a more positive future for Murupara. Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours is owned and operated by a local Maori family with Nadine Toetoe and her husband Karl at the head of the business. The Toe Toe whanau (family) belong to the Ngati Manawa Tribe, and their whakapapa (family tree) stretches back to these lands 400 years before the Great Migration, to the first inhabitants of this rohe (land within the tribal boundaries). Many of their stories have been handed down generation to generation and are waiting to be shared especially with you, along with plenty of interactive cultural activities and traditional kai (food) experiences (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016). Nadine and Karl were assisted by the Poutama Trust in starting their own tourism lodge in Murupara who are an independent charitable trust established in 1988 to provide business development services to Maori (Poutama Trust, 2014). According to Kohutapu Lodge (2016), the company’s dream is “to create an unpretentious cultural tourism and accommodation experience at grassroots level – authenticating the life experiences of Maori and establishing a truthful representation of who we are today as a people, for our visitors. Our business is whanau (family) owned and operated. The experiences we offer are genuine and relaxed in an intimate natural setting” and their mission as a Maori tourism business is to “create an outstanding, intimate, interactive and highly sought after cultural experience off the beaten track in the heart of Murupara, where we will share tribal stories, food and visit sites of significance before staying overnight in a culturally themed accommodation. Our long term goal is to create employment and further support the local economy, not only through sourcing our local produce, but working with the Iwi and the Marae where and when we can. Social responsibility will also be woven into our tours where our visitors will be engaging and giving back to the tamariki (children) of this area through our schools”.
  • 2. Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617 2 Description of activity/services offered Kohutapu Lodge offer 48 beds spread across a number of various accommodation options which include private lodge cabins, self-contained cottages and sheltered private grassed sites overlooking the lake for camping purposes. The lodge cabins contain new bunkbeds, mattresses and linen with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities while the self-contained cottages contain ensuites, dining rooms, kitchenettes and Sky TV. The visitors who choose to camp also have full use of the shared bathroom/kitchen/dining facilities. Prices for accommodation options vary from $35.00 for camping to $80.00 for cabins to $130.00 for cottages. As well as the accommodation as per mentioned there are a number of other facilities that visitors have access to during their stay. These facilities include a communal lounge room, communal dining room, shared shower and toilet facilities, coin operated washing machine and dryer, cooking facilities, fridges, BBQ area, Sky TV and a fish cleaning area (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016). Within services offered, Kohutapu Lodge also offer the option to pay for a traditional ground cooked hangi. Visitors will get to see the food being set on hot rocks in an earthen pit, before being covered with wet sacks and dirt where it will cook for up to three hours. Included within the hangi is lamb, chicken, pork, potatoes, kumara, pumpkin and hangi stuffing. With the hangi visitors will also have access to fried bread, a variety of salads and finish with dessert of triffle, fruit salad and cream. On top of this depending on seasonality guests may also be able to experience eel, watercress, sweetcorn, kamokamo, smoked trout, venison and wild pork. Hangi meals cost $40 per child and $50 per adult. After communal dining, visitors are welcome to congregate in the communal lounge room to listen to fascinating Maori story telling from Maurice Toetoe the father of the family who is a highly respected elder within the local Maori iwi (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016). On-site guests have the opportunity to take part in cultural Maori activities including Maori bread cooking classes, flax weaving and learning how to wield traditional Maori weapons. Off-site guests can take part in fishing, eeling, waka paddling, kayaking and even deer and pig hunting and game bird hunting trips. Flax weaving cooking classes, fishing, eeling and waka paddling can be purchased individually or as a package to save on costs for visitors who want the whole experience. They can also be packaged with local half day tours of the area by Maurice. Hunting trips can be purchased as a half trip at $500.00pp or full day trip at $850.00pp. Animals available for hunting is on a seasonal basis. As an extra treat visitors have the chance to travel with Nadine to the local primary school on the morning following a hangi with food parcels created from all the left-over food from the evening before for all the school children, many who are from underprivileged families. Guests are also able to exchange cultural knowledge with the school children and teach them about where they are from to help future educate the local community (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016). Analysis of target markets and forecasting When identifying the primary target market/s of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours it is important to consider the market/s based on demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentation. As the company does not directly identify their target market/s within the written information on their website it required looking into over informational avenues such as photos on their website, types of products offered and their pricing options and most importantly feedback from previous visitors both on their website and on trip
  • 3. Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617 3 advisor where many of the visitors identify the type of visitor they are. It was found that at more than half of the customer feedback posts were from overseas tourists who were part of a tour group using the New Zealand bus tour company ‘Stray’ (Trip Advisor, 2016). Looking at the Stray website it was discovered that Kohutapu Lodge was one of the businesses that Stray fully endorsed within many of their tours (Stray, 2016). Based from this information it is possible to determine a primary target market based on each area of market segmentation. First and foremost, Stray primarily targets backpackers visiting New Zealand from overseas, often experiencing their OE. From this it was necessary to research some statistics. According to Tourism New Zealand (2016), the backpacker segment aged 18-24 years represents approximately 11% of New Zealand’s holiday arrivals and visitor spending which makes it a valuable visitor segment for New Zealand. Furthermore, backpackers account for over 159,000 visitors to New Zealand each year and spending an average of over $3,700. Looking at the photos throughout the Stray website all of the photos taken appear to be of travellers within this age bracket and Stray (2016) also state that ‘Stray’s guided bus network is designed for adventurous travellers’ which once again supports the demographic age bracket identified. Moreover, the photos on the Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours website also show visitors within these age demographics (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016). It is not enough to just identify the demographic market segmentation. One must also break down geographically which areas these backpackers are travelling from. According to Tourism New Zealand (2016), the current strategies in order to bring more international backpackers into New Zealand are primarily focused on backpackers from the UK and Europe. This target audience has been selected based on volume of arrivals, growth of arrivals and a specific need to target this type of traveller with tailored content based on their unique travel style. Transient backpackers from Australia have also been identified as a key area to grow backpacker arrivals. Under the 100% Pure New Zealand brand, Tourism New Zealand targets the backpacker segment via the ‘Play More Every Day’ campaign. In addition to this Tourism New Zealand has formed a partnership with the Backpacker, Youth and Adventure Travel Association (BYATA) who are Tourism New Zealand’s key New Zealand based partner and communications channel for this sector (Tourism New Zealand, 2016). Another popular geographical market segment are young Asian travellers who generally travel alone. According to Tourism New Zealand (2016), Rotorua is identified as one of the top two regions which are visited by ‘young Asian adventurers’ and 61% of this market sector chose to travel as part of a tour group and top attractions visited include geothermal attractions, hot pools, short bush walks and cultural experiences which once again supports international backpackers being a primary target market for Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours (Tourism New Zealand, 2016). Finally, in identifying the target segmentation based on psychographics this area can also be known as ‘lifestyle’ and is measured by looking into the activities, interests and more importantly the motivators behind why the visitors have travelled to New Zealand. Based on statistical information found and previously discussed within demographic and geographic market segmentation, it was found that the youth market of backpackers come here for a mix of adventure tourism, cultural experiences and to experience the ‘clean green’ unique New Zealand landscape, all areas which Stray extensively cover within their tours. In relation to this even if backpackers coming to New Zealand have not directly booked with Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours or do not already know of the company, when the travellers choose to
  • 4. Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617 4 use Stray, Kohutapu Lodge is often already included as part of one of Stray’s New Zealand Tours so Kohutapu Lodge will still receive business from this market (Tourism New Zealand, 2016). The general lifestyle of youth backpackers within New Zealand comprises mostly of current/former international students from both domestic and international universities/educational institutions on a low to mid-range income. Many of these backpacking travellers choose to work on a casual basis as they travel. Statistics from Statistics New Zealand (2016) also show over the past 15 years until the present there has been a direct correlation between seasonality and backpacker accommodation occupancy rates with the months December/January having an occupancy rate of/or close to 100%. Further discussion of future target markets for Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours will be continued with discussion of company potential success. Competition matrix The following chart shows a competition matrix of five Maori owned/operated New Zealand Tourism businesses who are direct competitors to Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours. Although Kohutapu Lodge is placed in an ideal New Zealand location to receive high amounts of tourism, it also has to compete with multiple Maori owned/operated businesses in the local area as Rotorua is the largest hotspot for Maori owned/operated tourism businesses. All information on the businesses below has been sourced from the following references (shown in order). (Tamaki Maori Village, 2016; Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Tours, 2016; Te Puia, 2016; Mitai Maori Village, 2016; Ngai Tahu Tourism, 2016). Name of Competitor Services Provided Strengths Weaknesses Tamaki Maori Village  Facial tattooing, weaving, carvingand Maori foodcooking demonstrations  Invitations to participate in stick games, warrior training, poi learning andhaka performing  Cultural performances of dance, song, weaponry displays and stick games.  Traditional sharedfeast of Maori hangi buffet  Transfers toandfrom all Rotorua accommodation  LivingPre-European Maori Village  Licencedbar  Private outdoorspa  Overnight accommodation(linen andbedding provided)  Continental breakfast (with overnight stay)  Complimentarytransfers fromall Rotorua accommodation.  Experiences stagedtobe as authentic as possible.  Traditional hangi feast  Strategically placed  Language translation features on website  Student discount pricing  Extensive marketingcoverage through Tourism NewZealandandsocial media.  Minimum group size of 10 requiredfor overnight stay  Website is ratherdark andgloomy (however this may be to reflect tour takes place at night)  Experience maybe ‘too’ authentic forcertain overseas tourists and overwhelmingor frightening(particularly takingplace afterdark). Whakarewarewa – The Maori Living Village  Three different tour options including Wakarewarewa Village Tour, Tararewa Legacy Tour andRotorua Trilogy Tour  Personalisedtattooservice is a unique sellingpoint forbusiness.  Campinggroundaccommodationoffered (very cheap)  Many products at gift shopare tailoredto meet theregioni.e. mudandhoney products.  Extensive educationon Maori traditions and customs  Minimum group booking of 10 peopleor more requiredfor overnight stay.  Large amount of educational information given is on scientific
  • 5. Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617 5  Education on everyday geothermal energy by Maori people.  Traditional songand dance by Te Pakira Performance Group  Overnight Marae stay.  Cruise ship packages  Personalisedtattoo design by Maori Taa Moko artist basedon informationsharedby visitors about themselves.  Gift shop sellingMaori, honey andmud products.  Hot water beach – campground  Clever use of hot pools tocookeggs and corn (unique sellingpoint).  Full traditional Maorihangi  GNS Science Facility  Open all day rather thanMaori cultural aimed.  No prices listedon website for overnight stays  High percentage of business is commercialisedrather than culturallypurposed. Te Puia  Showcased Maori dance andsong.  Maori guidedtours of native bush and geothermal valley.  Maori guides offer stories baseddown from their tipuna (ancestors).  Watch andinteract with master Maori carvers, weavers andtheir students.  Cultural programmes every year.  Witness geothermal cuisine up close and personal at Ngararatuatara– natural cookingpool.  Taonga Gallery Gift Shop  Opportunitytoviewlive kiwi birds in nocturnal kiwi house.  Offers both day andnight tours  New ZealandMāori Arts andCrafts Institute grantedcompany therole ofguardians of Māori arts, crafts andculture.  Home to the national schools of Māori carvingandweaving.  Te Puia has been involvedfor over40 years in the carvingof over 30 wharenui (meeting houses) throughout NewZealandandcreated countless gifts forofficial guests and dignitaries visitingNewZealand(good marketingpublicity).  Products soldin gift shopare authentically made by mater Maori carvers andtheir students.  Commercialization of authentic Maori products.  Business only offers tours/experiences but no accommodationoptions.  Website contains more educational information than tourist product information.  Possible influence by commercialization due to tourism on Maori products/service offered – possible staged authenticity. Mitai Maori Village  Authentic cultural performance through songs, dance, tales, legends anddisplays of weaponry andpoi performance  Display of war canoe handcarvedmy Mitai family beingpaddled down the Wai-O-Whiro Stream by authentically dressed Maori warriors.  Authentic hangi meal cookedin hangi pit.  Guided bush/glowworm walks.  Unique sellingpoints tomake experience more authentic such as Maori warriors in handcarvedcanoeandchilledwater with meal servedright fromthe springs on location  Complimentarypickup from local accommodation.  Product appears much less influenced by commercializationthanother similar Maori products.  Packages verymoderatelypriced  No accommodation type products/overnight experiences offered  In order to view package prices, you needto start a booking first  Possible a little ‘too authentic’ or intimidatingforsome international tourists.  No gift shop to encourage extra spending(howeverthis can also be a positive as it preserves cultural products within the local tribe). Rainbow Springs Nature Park  Close encounters with tuatara feeding/talk, blue tonguedlizard, water dragon, native reptiles, eelingfeeding andtrout feeding/talk  Bird encounters/shows with canopyaviary (where youcan feed birds), exotic birds,  Product is very environmentally/educationally/conservation designed  More suitedto childrenwhich manyother Maori ownedbusiness are not (some may be too frighteningfor youngerchildren).  Quite unique from any other Maori owned products within NewZealand.  No Maori cultural experience within products offeredfor visitors who may want that  Majorityof product is targetedsolely at child market,needs more market segmentation
  • 6. Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617 6 Parakeet Islandand other NZ native birds includingkaka, weka, kea andmorepork.  ‘Big Splash’ 9-minute boat ride with some of NZ’s unique stories  Gift shop andcafé.  Become a junior keep programme.  Sponsor a kiwi.  Annual pass available which offers large discounts at on site shops andother bonuses  Maori tribe (Ngai Tahu)owners operate nine other tourismbusinesses within New Zealand. for off-peakseasonal times. When analysing some of the direct competitors to Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours as displayed above, it was found that these competitors carried a variety of different strengths and weaknesses. However, certain patterns did appear in a number of these competitors including the obvious influence of commercialization of many of these products. Unfortunately, this can lead to things such as loss of cultural identity and traditionally values and staged authenticity. As clearly evident in indigenous tourism today, tourism can be an economic necessity but a social evil (Browne, 1996). Web audit The following chart is an audit of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours’ website. The audit looks at all aspects of design of the website including the choice of web address name based on its purpose and the target audience, the overall functionality of the website and quality/choice of the information displayed on the website and the layout, navigation flexibility and links to other areas of context outside of the website displayed within the website. Web address, purpose and audience Functionality, information and content of the website Layout, navigation, links of the website (anything missing unclear) Webaddress - http://www.kohutapulodge.co.nz/  The functionally ofthe company website does what it is intendedto do. It clearly informs what the company has to offer andall relevant informationa visitor wouldrequire is easy to find.  The layout ofthe website is simple however this is not a badthingas it is makes it easy for theviewer tolocate all the appropriate information they are after without overcomplicating navigationof thewebsite.  The colours ofthe website andin particular the font has been well chosen in relationto makingit easy to readthe writingdisplayede.g. white text ondark backgroundandvice versa.  The choice of URL linktotheirwebsite although it clearly identifies the companywithinthe webaddress, the name ‘Kohutapulodge’ cantake a moment totype andis easy tomisspell, particularlyfortourists fromoutside of New Zealand, possible shorteningthe URL name to ‘Kohulodge’ tosomething similar would be appropriate.  Also the website address only identifies the accommodationpart of theproduct which may be less important to tourists than the Maori tour cultural part of the product itself.  The information displayedon thesite is well chosen andappropriate to the target audience. The informationis plenty extensive but as the same time simply writtenso it is not over complicatedforthosetounderstand who do not have English as a first language.  The links featuredon the website are very limitedbut cover all necessary avenues includinga link to Trip Advisor. However, this link only takes the viewer to theTripAdvisor homepage ratherthanthe companies’ profile withinTripAdvisor.  Another appropriate linkis to the companies Facebook page whichis important as social media is a valuable way to market a tourism business today with so manypeople (particularly theyounger market) being technologically adept.
  • 7. Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617 7  Overall the website is verysimple to navigate andall relevant information a tourist mayrequire is easy to locate.  In doinga Google search usingthe key words ‘NewZealandMaori tours’ and even narrowingit down to ‘Rotorua Maori tours’ KohutapuLodge & Tribal Tours does not evenappearin the first Google pages. This couldbe possible be because KohutapuLodge is not centrally locatedin relationtoRotorua.  Gettingon the first Google page as a business is a combinationof several things: - Based on views of the website by people browsing. - Original content i.e.your companycan be dockedfor stealingcontent from others pages. - Link your website to appropriate and commonly usedkeywords - Change your website code/linkto somethingmore appropriate - Pay money to Google be on the first page  It is also important tonotethat although using a local address e.g ‘.co.nz’can earn youpoints for people searching locally it can affect your popularity on an international scale.Kohutapu Lodge uses a co.nz link so maybe shouldinvest in a .com relatedlinklike someof its large competitors such as Tamaki Tours.  The website includes all important and relevant informationwhich shouldbe requiredby a business includingan overviewof the company,veryclear step by step instructions as well as a map for howto locate theproperty, A full list andoverviewof all products offeredwhich are split into categories i.e. accommodation, food, tours, activities etc., full contact details for further enquires andone of themost important things clear prices onall products offeredby thecompany.  The website appears tocoverall appropriate avenues however some things which may be lackinginclude: - With so manyregularlyusedsocial media applications usedtoday it would be sensible to covermore avenues that just Facebook such as Twitter, Instagram,Pinterest, Tumlrand Snapchat. - It couldalso be constructiveto possible provide someother type of interactive media within their website such as videos or sound. Discussion of company potential success The final area to evaluate for Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours is a discussion of the company’s potential success. There are a number of factors to consider when evaluating the success of a tourism company. One such issue/barrier involved with running a Maori tourism business is the negative perceptions of tourism on Maori culture and values. As explained earlier more and more Maori owned tourism businesses are becoming affected by commercialization. This is primarily because although the Maori people wish to retain their traditional customs and values, in order for a tourism business to be able to cover operating costs and more importantly make a profit they must look into all avenues to bring in more revenue from tourists which in the case of a Maori operated tourism business can lead to staged authenticity and mass production of Maori items such as a Taongas, Maori clothing and traditional objects which originally carried an extremely cultural/sacred value to that Maori people but now is being sold for profit to tourists who many don’t view it that way (The Stafford Group, 2000). However, in the case of Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours they have managed to keep the influence to commercialization to a minimum and only offering authentic type products which are related to the land, traditional culture and values and other natural areas of the environment. Although not being centrally located like some of the larger Maori tourism owned businesses may be seen as a hindrance, it allows them to operate in a more remote region which has not yet been touched by commercialization and therefore better preserve the traditional Maori customs/values of the local tribe and just as importantly preserve the untouched land (Kohutapu Lodge, 2016). Another important factor/barrier to consider within operating a successful tourism business is the owner’s/operators knowledge of the tourism industry both on a local and national scale.
  • 8. Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617 8 Unfortunately, the average percentage of uneducated Maori people is much higher than that today of New Zealand/European people which gives tourism business’s owned/operated by Europeans that advantage of Maori operators as they are often far more educated to begin with (The Stafford Group, 2000). However, it is fortunate for Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours that one of the owners of the business Nadine Toe Toe is extremely experienced and highly educated within the New Zealand tourism industry which gives Kohutapu Lodge a distinct advantage over its competition in this regard. Nadine has gained considerable Marketing, Sales and operational tourism management experience and has built extensive relationships across the NZ Tourism Distribution Chain and Tourism Operator Networks. Nadine also has strong national operator connections having worked with the Maori Tourism RTO and holds a Bachelor or Management Studies Degree, with a double major in Marketing and Human Resources Management (Global Storytellers, 2016). This allows Nadine to highly effectively manage and market Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours much more efficiently than much of its direct/indirect competition within the New Zealand tourism industry. Finally, one of the most pivotal areas of running a successful tourism business is revenue management. This refers to not only revenue coming into the company but also having enough revenue to cover costs such as marketing, overheads, staffing and establishing the business. Once again Kohutapu Lodge has a large advantage in this avenue with Nadine having extensive marketing, HR and tourism management experience within the industry. Furthermore, in regards to staffing costs these are very minimal as the company is solely owned and operated by the family with the exception of volunteers they get during busy peak seasons which rather than pay them a wage they provide the volunteers with accommodation and food during their stay. In addition to this Nadine has already established an extensive social network within the New Zealand tourism industry to this helps minimize marketing costs for the business in helps increase the company target market’s catchment area (Global Storytellers, 2016; Kohutapu Lodge, 2016) Conclusion In conclusion, looking back at what has been discussed within the report it has been discovered that Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours is a well establishment company within New Zealand. Although it may not on the same well know level as some of its much larger competitors, it has managed to operate quite successfully for over a decade. It is far more untouched by commercialization which has allowed the Maori owners to maintain and promote their traditional Maori values and customs. The company offers a variety of products/services including accommodation, cultural tours and a vast array of mostly cultural activities. The company appears to primarily target young backpackers within the 18-24 aged group and of a mix of international ethnicities including European, Asian and Australian. Although strategically placed within a tourism hotspot this means that Kohutapu Lodge has a vast array of tourism business competition however with the owner’s vast knowledge/educational experience of the New Zealand tourism industry and their extensive social network this means that the company is still able to compete with the larger competition in the area. The company’s website is very well designed however the web address and where it is located during a Google search could be improved on and is definitely worth investing in. Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours appears to be a must see Maori tourist attraction within Aotearoa according to feedback from visitors and hopefully will be around for many years to come.
  • 9. Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617 9 References Browne, V. L. (1996). The Meaning of Ecotourism 'A New Zealand Perspective' . Auckland: Massey University . Retrieved from https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ah UKEwi6u7fStOzMAhWDKKYKHXvLA4sQFggaMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmro. massey.ac.nz%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F10179%2F6200%2F02_whole.pdf%3Fseq uence%3D2%26isAllowed%3Dy&usg=AFQjCNEECSL6BmB52YDtLrSa Global Storytellers. (2016). The Global Story Consultants Team. Retrieved from Global Storytellers website: http://www.globalstoryconsultants.com/global-consultants Kohutapu Lodge. (2016). Kohutapu Lodge - about us. Retrieved from Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours website: http://www.kohutapulodge.co.nz/about-us.html McClintock, W. (1998). Resource Community Formation & Change: A Case Study of Murupara. Christchurch: Taylor Baines & Associates. Retrieved from http://www.tba.co.nz/pdf_papers/1998_wp_07_murupara.pdf Mitai Maori Village. (2016). Mitai Maori Village Tours - About. Retrieved from Mitai Maori Village website: http://www.mitai.co.nz/ Ngai Tahu Tourism. (2016). Rainbow Springs Nature Park - About. Retrieved from Rainbow Spring Nature Park website: http://www.rainbowsprings.co.nz/ Poutama Trust. (2014). Poutama Trust - About. Retrieved from Poutama Trust website: http://www.poutama.co.nz/index.htm Statistics New Zealand. (2016). Accomodation Survey. Wellington: Statisics New Zealand. Retrieved from
  • 10. Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617 10 http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/industry_sectors/accommodation/Accomm odationSurvey_HOTPMar16.aspx Stray. (2016). Kohutapu Lodge - New Zealand Backpacking Accommodation . Retrieved from Stray website: http://www.straytravel.com/search- results/?Search=kohutapu+lodge&action_doSearch=Submit+Query Tamaki Maori Village Rotorua. (2016). Tamaki Tours - About. Retrieved from Tamaki Maori Village Rotorua website: http://www.tamakimaorivillage.co.nz/rotoruawelcome Te Puia. (2016). Te Puia - About. Retrieved from Te Puia website: http://www.tepuia.com/ The Stafford Group. (2000, November). Closing the Gaps - He matai tapoi Maori - barriers and impediments short report. Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://autonline.aut.ac.nz/courses/1/TOUR503_2016_01/content/_3665684_1/Closin g%20the%20gaps%20-%20short%20report.pdf Tourism New Zealand. (2016). Backpacker Market Sector. Retrieved from Tourism New Zealand website: http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/markets- stats/sectors/backpacker/ Tourism New Zealand. (2016). Youth Travellers to New Zealand - Market Segment Profiles. Wellington: Tourism New Zealand. Retrieved from http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/media/1766/youth-markets-snapshot.pdf Trip Advisor. (2016). Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours visitor feedback. Retrieved from Trip Advisor New Zealand website: https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Hotel_Review- g2578441-d2542570-Reviews-or10-Kohutapu_Lodge_Tribal_Tours- Murupara_Bay_of_Plenty_Region_North_Island.html#REVIEWS
  • 11. Maori and Tourism in Aotearoa Individual Report ID: 0594617 11 Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Tours. (2016). Whakarewarewa the Living Maori Village - About. Retrieved from Whakarewarewa the Living Maori Village website: http://www.whakarewarewa.com/