Funding Sources

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is a crown entity that acts as Government’s national economic development agency. Its Board is primarily appointed from the private sector. NZTE works with industry sectors and businesses, and is active on both a global and regional level. It provides a range of services that encourage both investment and enterprise.

NZTE works with high-growth industry sectors such as biotechnology and agritech, creative industries, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and tourism to:

support New Zealand businesses to build business capability
improve the business environment for enterprise and growth, and
increase the international connectedness of New Zealand businesses.

Services and programmes that NZTE offer to businesses include training, market information and funding assistance, and facilitation of opportunities for networking and partnerships. Businesses are also encouraged to build capability in research and development in schemes that are delivered in partnership with the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.

NZTE works globally by facilitating the sustained and profitable participation of New Zealand businesses and regions in international markets. It also works on a regional level with local government, economic development agencies and other regional allies in order to:

to grow their regional economic base
to identify and address barriers to growth, and
to stimulate and develop new business opportunities.

Tourism is a key sector identified by NZTE as having the potential for high growth, driven by New Zealand’s strong international profile and increasing air capacity.

NZTE contributes to the tourism sector through its business capability products (including access to training, assessment and mentoring and market development grants) that are tailored to suit the specific needs of the sector. NZTE works alongside Tourism New Zealand and the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand to ensure their products are relevant to and valued by the sector.

Tourism-related regional initiatives are provided by NZTE through the Regional Partnership Programme. These are aligned with New Zealand’s Tourism Strategy 2010 and the strategies of key tourism stakeholders and focus on the development of innovative tourism products and services to:

contribute to long-term economic growth
enhance visitor dispersal and tourism expenditure in New Zealand, and
increase New Zealand’s competitiveness as a tourism destination.

NZTE also engages in projects across other high-growth sectors that align with the tourism sector, including food and beverage, international education, ICT and creative industries.

Further information

Go to the NZTE website at - http://www.nzte.govt.nz/

Ministry for the Environment

The Ministry for the Environment (MFE) acts as the principal adviser to Government on the New Zealand environment and international matters that impact on the environment. The role of MFE is to:

provide leadership across government and the community on environment
work in partnership with key sectors and organisations to improve New Zealand’s environment
fix problems that require central government intervention, and
ensure that New Zealand has good environmental governance.

MFE works with a range of groups (e.g., other government departments, local government, industry and community groups) to ensure that appropriate environmental decision-making and governance is achieved.

MFE has a commitment to sustainability, seen clearly in its focus on sustainable industry and tourism. It recognises that perceptions of New Zealand’s environment, and related features associated with the environment (for instance spectacular landscapes, biodiversity, and opportunities for outdoor recreation) are a key attraction for international visitors. MFE aims to encourage industry to use sustainable development practices (such as sustainable production, environmental reporting, sustainable business practice, ethical investing and voluntary agreements) to minimise negative impacts on the environment.

Tourism

MFE also recognises that tourism can impact on the environment, and therefore has a focus on sustainable tourism practices geared towards tourism operators. Operators are encouraged to:

make their business practice more energy- and waste-efficient
involve the community in decision making
identify and avoid potential risks to the environment from their business identify opportunities to market a business as sustainable, and
identify beneficial partnerships.

MFE currently runs the Environmentally Sustainable Tourism project, alongside the Ministry of Tourism. The project is based in six regions in New Zealand (Northland, Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, Nelson. Lake Wanaka and Southland/Fiordland) and utilises resources from the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010 Tourism Strategy Fund. It is based on the commitments of MFE and the aims of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010, and focuses on quality economic growth, collaboration between government and industry, sustainability (cultural, social, environmental and economic) and maximisation of tourism’s growth potential.

The aim of the project is to develop regional sustainable tourism charters, committed to sustainable practices. A sustainable tourism charter is a community-developed vision of sustainable tourism, outlining key characteristics of a long-term tourism sector, defined by key stakeholders to a region. It supports tourism businesses to work towards sustainability and has an emphasis on continual improvement. The charters encourage the promotion of New Zealand as a 'clean and green' destination through:

improving the environmental performance of participating tourism operators
providing ways to improve individual business capability around sustainable practices
increasing the number of businesses actively incorporating sustainable business practices
supporting the 100% Pure NZ brand, and
becoming regional experts in sustainable business practices.

Other sustainable tourism initiatives developed by MFE include a guide listing the locations of motor home dump stations for the responsible disposal of toilet waste; and a waste management and tourism working group, which includes a focus on public toilets, dump stations, recycling, litter and waste management, education and planning.

Further information

Go to the MFE website at http://www.mfe.govt.nz/

Ministry of Tourism

One of the Ministry of Tourism’s (MOT) principle roles is to provide advice to government on policy issues relevant to the tourism industry. It also represents government’s tourism interests in inter-departmental and inter-governmental activities; and provides services (e.g., information) to Parliament and the Minister of Tourism.

MOT was involved in the preparation of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010 and the 2003 Strategy Update. Its role in the implementation of the Strategy continues through:

the funding of implementation projects
the development of policy to implement particular aspects, and
co-operation with other stakeholders in the tourism industry to ensure that the objectives of the Strategy are met.

MOT does not provide funding for tourism businesses, but has a Tourism Demand Subsidy Scheme that helps small communities with high tourism to invest in the infrastructure (water and sewerage) to sustain their tourism industry. The Minister of Tourism also holds a discretionary fund (Tourism Facilities Grants Programme) that provides funding for non-commercial tourism facilities, in order to enhance overseas visitors' understanding and enjoyment of New Zealand. The facilities must provide public good benefits, must not compete directly with an existing commercial venture, or be for commercial gain.

MOT also makes freely available a large body of tourism research, relevant to business planning, funding proposals and ongoing business decision-making.

Further information

Go to the MOT website at http://www.tourism.govt.nz/

Department of Conservation

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is responsible for the management of public lands that are protected for their natural, scientific, historic, cultural or recreational values.

The DOC Head Office is located in Wellington, and there are two regional and 13 conservancy offices located throughout New Zealand. Each conservancy has a number of area offices.

The Department’s objectives are:

to protect New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage
to provide opportunities for people to appreciate, use and enjoy the lands and waters it manages - but with care and respect, and
to act as a voice for conservation in the community and in government.

The main role of the conservancy offices is to ensure conservation management in the region it manages. The area offices are responsible for delivering conservation outputs for the region.

Tourism

DOC recognises that tourism can significantly benefit conservation, but, when poorly managed can have a negative impact on New Zealand’s natural and cultural environment, as well as on the visitor experience.

The provision of appropriate visitor facilities and services in areas managed by the department are guided and judged by three principles in order to meet visitor satisfaction and protect these areas:

protection
visitor satisfaction
working with others - the private sector, Māori and communities.

The Department has developed a visitor strategy, after consultation with a number of tourism and conservation organisations, which guides DOC’s planning and management relating to visitor services. The strategy is based around the following inter-related issues:

The protection of intrinsic natural and historic values, which includes assessing potential visitor impacts; developing a management regime for visitors; monitoring visitor impacts; and taking remedial/preventative action, where necessary to protect natural areas.
Fostering visits by the public, which includes the provision and review of visitor facilities and services; managing access and visitor conflicts; and the protection of natural areas.
Managing tourism concessions on protected lands, to allow the private sector to provide visitor facilities and services where they do not compromise the intrinsic natural and historic values of areas managed by the department and do not compromise the experiences or opportunities of other visitors.
Informing and educating visitors, which includes promotion of the benefits of conservation to different visitor groups (through, for example, signs and notices, visitor and information centres, visitor publications and programmes, and concessionaires and other organisations); promotion to future generations; and the dissemination of educational and promotional material relating to conservation.
Managing visitor safety, and risk management, which includes the implementation of the Quality Conservation Management system; a ‘national safety watch’ scheme to monitor the safety of visitor facilities between scheduled inspections; a focus on health and safety in employment; and raising visitor awareness of risk.

Tourism is recognised as taking place when visitors use and pay for facilities and services provided by the private sector (a concessionaire). DOC manages the provision of visitor facilities and services by concessionaires on Department-managed land. However, DOC’s focus is on taking the role of leader, guide and facilitator, working in partnership with other groups.

DOC manages a number of major New Zealand icons that are considered tourist attractions, including Milford Sound, Mount Cook National Park Abel Tasman coastline, Punakaiki, Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, most skifields including Mount Ruapehu and Mount Hutt, Rotorua geothermal areas and the Waitomo Caves (jointly managed with local iwi).

The Department’s management actions for tourism concessions are guided by the following principles:

Recognition of significant potential for providing satisfying visitor experiences through facilities and services provided by the tourism industry under concessions
Setting limits on visitor numbers, facilities, services and commercial activities to protect the visitor experience
A preference for visitor activities, facilities and services provided by concessionaires that are in keeping with and promote understanding of intrinsic natural and historic values
Consultation and close working relationships with other groups such as local and regional councils, recreation and conservation groups and iwi
Not compromising the conservation of the intrinsic natural and historic values of the areas visited by visitor activities, facilities and services provided by concessionaires
Access to areas managed by the department will be free of charge
Safeguarding of solitude, peace and natural quiet on land managed by the Department (as far as possible) to enhance visitors’ enjoyment of areas
Actively managed visitor activities, facilities and services provided by concessionaires to avoid compromising the experiences of other visitors.

Further information

Go to the DOC website at www.doc.govt.nz/

Regional and Territorial (District and City) Councils and Community Boards

The purpose of local government is to enable local decision-making by and on behalf of communities, and to promote the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of communities. Councils provide the mechanism for local community governance and must represent their communities and encourage community participation in decision-making. They aim to look for local solutions to local issues, taking into account factors such as geography, the environment, economic opportunities, the ethnic make up of the local population, and the health and social well-being of their community.

In New Zealand, there are 12 regional councils, 15 city councils and 57 district councils (including the Chatham Islands and four unitary councils that have regional functions). Councils are responsible for a variety of planning and management functions, including preparing plans and budgets, preparing long-term financial strategies, reporting, and preparing policies and plans (including around resource management, land transport and biosecurity).

Local Government New Zealand is the lead local government agency representing all councils in New Zealand. Their function is to secure national policies and legislation that supports effective local government through, for example:

advocating to central government on behalf of member councils
working collaboratively with central government
identifying policies and legislative issues in need of being addressed
undertaking policy analysis and research

Tourism

In the tourism sector, local government is a crucial player. By statute, local government is required to manage the natural and cultural resources of New Zealand on which tourism relies. Local government is also the primary funding source for the Regional Tourism Organisations that market their area, and the Visitor Information Centres that inform New Zealand’s visitors. Regional, District and City Councils and Community Boards are also responsible for some of the following activities:

providing much of the tourism infrastructure such as sewage, water supply, public toilets, roading, rubbish removal, etc
contributing financially to regional promotion organisations and visitor centres
providing the regional and local planning framework
administering the Resource Management Act, under which resource consents are allocated.

Regional Councils

The role of a regional council is to manage the natural resources, environmental planning and all regulations administered at a regional level. It is responsible for:

the sustainable well-being of the region it covers
management of the effects of using freshwater, land, air and coastal waters, by developing regional policy statements and the issuing of consents
management of rivers, mitigating soil erosion and flood control
biosecurity control of regional plant and animal pests
regional emergency management and civil defence preparedness
regional land transport planning and contracting passenger services
harbour navigation and safety, oil spills and other marine pollution

There are 12 regional councils in New Zealand: Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Manawatu-Wanganui, Greater Wellington, West Coast, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland.

Territorial Authorities (District and City Councils)

Territorial authorities (District and City councils) function to provide local services such as water, rubbish collection and disposal, sewage treatment, parks, reserves, street lighting, roads and libraries. They process building and environmental consents and administer other regulatory tasks.

Specifically, their role includes:

Sustainable district well-being
The provision of local infrastructure, including water, sewerage, stormwater, and roads
Environmental safety and health, district emergency management and civil defence preparedness, building control, public health inspections and other environmental health matters
Controlling the effects of land use (including hazardous substances, natural hazards and indigenous biodiversity), noise, and the effects of activities on the surface of lakes and rivers
Community well-being and development
Recreation and culture
Resource management

The responsibilities of city and district councils are the same, with city councils serving a population of more than 50,000 people in a predominantly urban area.

Community Boards

The purpose of Community Boards is to:

Represent and act as an advocate for the interests of the community
Consider and report on any matter referred to it by the territorial local authority, and any issues of interest to the community board
Make an annual submission to the territorial local authority on expenditure in the local authority
Maintain an overview of services provided by the territorial authority within the community
Communicate with community organisations and special interest groups in the community, and undertake any other responsibilities delegated by the local authority.

Community Boards operate in both rural and urban areas within local authorities throughout New Zealand.

Further information

Go to the following websites -

Regional Tourism Organisations

Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) act as a bridge between tourism operators, national tourism bodies and local and central government. They are responsible for the promotion of their regions to potential domestic and international visitors. There are currently 30 RTOs across New Zealand, which vary in size, structure, and the scope of activities they undertake. RTOs are largely funded by local authorities.

Regional Tourism Organisations New Zealand (RTONZ)

Following the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010, RTOs united to form Regional Tourism Organisations New Zealand (RTONZ), a non-incorporated collective that plans to seek charitable trust status. RTONZ has been involved in a range of projects, ranging from examining the roles of tourism organisations within New Zealand to reviewing the research and monitoring needs of RTOs, to building relationships with Māori Regional Tourism Groups. More details about projects undertaken by RTONZ can be found on their website

Further information

Go to the RTONZ website at - http://www.tourism.govt.nz/ and to the websites of individual RTOs.

New Zealand Māori Tourism Council

The New Zealand Māori Tourism Council exists as the national representative entity for Māori Regional Tourism Organisations (MRTOs). It functions to provide a mutually supportive network for the development of best practice by members, and aims to lead to business growth for Māori in tourism.

Its objectives include:

promotion of Māori in tourism through supporting MRTOs at a national level
the appointment of representatives to national tourism related bodies
advocacy for the promotion of Māori in tourism, including engagement with other national and international tourism industry organisations for this purpose
implementation of the provisions of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010
engagement with other national and international tourism
facilitation of opportunities for national and international marketing of Māori in tourism
development of strong relationships in the public and private sectors.

There are currently 11 member MRTOs: Auckland Māori Tourism Association, Central North Island Māori Tourism Society, Hawkes Bay Māori Tourism Trust, Māori in Tourism Rotorua, Māori Tourism Taranaki Trust, Tauranga Moana Māori Tourism, Tai Tokerau Tourism, Te Ara a Maui, Te Waipounamu/South Island, Tourism King Country Māori, and Whanganui Māori Regional Tourism.

Further information

Go to the Council’s website at - http://www.maoritourism.co.nz/

Tourism New Zealand

Tourism New Zealand is a Crown Entity established under the New Zealand Tourism Board Act 1991. Tourism New Zealand is responsible for marketing New Zealand internationally as a desirable destination.

Tourism New Zealand has offices both in New Zealand (Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington) and overseas (Sydney; Bangkok, China, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore, Taiwan, and Tokyo; London; Los Angeles and New York; and Johannesburg).

A major project of Tourism New Zealand is the 100% Pure New Zealand Campaign, which, while continually evolving aims to showcase the beauty and uniqueness of New Zealand's landscapes, culture and people. The campaign combines advertising, internet, international media coverage, events and trade training to market destination New Zealand to key target markets.

Further information

Go to the TNZ website at - http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/

Tourism Industry Association New Zealand

The Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIANZ) is a private organisation representing the range of private sector interests. Its members range from small tourism operators through to large companies, all of which make up 85% of the country’s tourism turnover. The association provides an organisational framework to link smaller tourism industry groups (e.g., NZ Adventure Tourism Council) and various regional tourism organisations.

TIANZ has four main areas of activity:

Industry advocacy and policy, which is considered to be the organisations main role. TIANZ campaigns to government and other decision-makings for the interests of its members, and builds partnerships between the tourism industry and government.
Running events, which provide business and networking opportunities for members.
Industry development, with programmes developed, coordinated or sourced for the tourism industry that can contribute to improvements in business performance.
Working with other organisations linked with the tourism industry, including government departments and ministries, local government bodies and any group or association involved in the tourism industry in New Zealand.

TIANZ works to strengthen the tourism industry through:

Cost effective marketing initiatives, which contribute to growing market and revenue share
Working to reduce business and industry compliance costs
Increasing commitment to research and development
Enhancing environmental sustainability
Attracting high calibre people to the industry and focusing on training and development
Encouraging the development of a regulatory and economic environment that continues to attract public and private sector investment
Encouraging the development of New Zealand heritage and culture
Investigating trends in new media/information technologies
Ensuring industry strategies and structures are aligned to achieve industry-wide goals
Improving the standards of visitor products and services
Developing alliances and partnerships within New Zealand and internationally, and
Building and maintaining the standing of tourism with key stakeholder groups e.g. Central and Local Government.

Further information

Go to the TIANZ website at - http://www.tianz.org.nz/

Te Puni Kōkiri

Te Puni Kōkiri acts as principal advisor on government-Māori relationships, leading Māori public policy and managing relationships and information. The role of Te Puni Kōkiri is to:

promote increases in levels of achievement attained by Māori with respect to education, training and employment, health and economic resource development
monitor and liaise with each department and agency that provides, or has a responsibility to provide, services to or for Māori, for the purpose of ensuring the adequacy of those services.

Since 2004, Te Puni Kōkiri has focused on recognising the importance of Māori achieving a sustainable level of success. This includes leveraging off collective assets for economic gain; utilisation of skills, knowledge and talents for increased innovation; the flourishing of Māori culture and identity; strong, healthy and connected Māori families; and mutually beneficial partnerships between Māori and local, national and international stakeholders.

As well as having its head office in Wellington, Te Puni Kōkiri has a number of regional and sub-offices throughout the country. Regional offices are the first point of call for enquiries about development of communities, organisations or businesses. Offices are located in Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Tauranga, Whakatane, Gisborne, New Plymouth, Whanganui, Taumarunui, Palmerston North, Hastings, Featherston, Lower Hutt, Levin, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill.

Tourism

In 2001, Te Puni Kōkiri was involved in the establishment of the Māori Regional Tourism Programme to assist Māori Regional Tourism Organisations (MRTOs) to develop plans to promote the interests of tourism regionally and improve networking within the industry. In 2004, an evaluation of this programme was carried out for Te Puni Kōkiri.

Te Puni Kōkiri also released a report in 2001 on barriers, impediments and opportunities for Māori in Tourism.

More information about the Māori Regional Tourism Programme and reports can be found at http://www.tpk.govt.nz/publications/.

Te Puni Kōkiri provides a free business development service (Business Facilitation Service) for Māori starting up or improving an existing business. The service is for commercial opportunities only and is targeted to small to medium-sized businesses. The service provides mentoring, facilitation, guidance, information and advice. It does not provide funding or professional services.

Further information

Go to the Te Puni Kōkiri website at - http://www.tpk.govt.nz/

Ministry of Fisheries

The role of the Ministry of Fisheries (MFish) is to ensure that fisheries are used in a sustainable way to achieve a healthy aquatic ecosystem. They work towards this through:

researching fisheries
managing the process for access or allocation of fisheries
ensuring that those who use these resources comply with the legislation and regulations.

MFish recognises that New Zealand’s marine environment and fisheries resources are highly valued economically, culturally and environmentally. For this reason they acknowledge the importance of a fair system of access to fisheries resources while concentrating efforts on minimising damage to these same resources and to the surrounding environment.

Specifically, MFish also:

Advises Government on the development of fisheries policies
Develops laws to manage fisheries
Administers the Quota Management System that regulates New Zealand commercial fishing activity
Promotes fishers acting within fisheries laws; and
Gives effect to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi as they relate to fisheries.

Further information

Go to the Ministry of Fisheries website at - http://www.fish.govt.nz/

Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment

The role of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) is to maintain and improve the quality of New Zealand's environment, with a strong focus on environmental sustainability.

The Commissioner for the Environment is an independent Officer of Parliament who has powers to investigate environmental concerns. The Commissioner for the Environment reports directly to Parliament and the Commissioner’s job is to hold the Government to account for its environmental policies and actions. The Commissioner’s role is separate from the Ministry for the Environment and other related Ministries.

The Commissioner is appointed for a five-year term. The role has five key functions:

Guardian – including checking on the ability of public agencies to manage the environment
Advocate – including investigating concerns raised about the performance of public agencies and encouraging preventative measures and remedial actions
Auditor – evaluating the performance of public agencies to ensure they are meeting their environmental responsibilities
Information provider – giving information about the environment to various groups and individuals
Adviser – offering information and advice to parliamentary select committees.

Further information

Go to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment website at - http://www.pce.govt.nz/