By Annette Smart
East Auckland Tourism has hosted an event at Te Tuhi, Pakuranga. The main focus for the evening was to consider the future of tourism in East Auckland.
The two speakers were Christopher Luxon, current National Party candidate for the Botany electorate, and Zac Watson from Auckland economic development agency ATEED.
Christopher shared his marketing and tourism expertise from his time in the corporate world and as former CEO of Air New Zealand. His address was motivational and inspiring.
Our second speaker was Zac who updated guests on ATEED’s Auckland Recovery Programme, developed to assist the sector in a post-Covid-19 world, and other initiatives to support tourism/hospitality businesses in the region.
The evening ended with East Auckland Tourism’s launch of their new destination videos that promotes the best sites and experiences in the region. These videos were funded by ATEED.
Guests attending were from local tourism and hospitality businesses, community groups, stakeholders and local talent who appeared in the videos. Points raised and issues highlighted have provided a new slant to future planning.
East Auckland Tourism will be working to develop a local forum. This group could then work together to plan how best to take East Auckland into the future while effectively promoting its unique key attributes.
The more successful and appealing East Auckland is as a visitor destination, the more the regional economy will benefit.
We are extremely optimistic about our future and with forward thinking and successful collaboration, our region is set for a thriving future.
- Annette Smart, East Auckland Tourism Co-ordinator
