Rotorua will host the World Indigenous Cancer Conference next year. Photo / Laura Smith
Rotorua will host the World Indigenous Cancer Conference next year. Photo / Laura Smith
Rotorua is set to showcase its “rich Māori culture” and rongoā as host of the World Indigenous Cancer Conference next year.
More than 600 international health professionals, researchers, clinicians, advocates and their families will visit the city and the event is expected to have a more than $1 million impact on the Rotorua economy.
The conference will be structured around Māori tikanga (protocols), values, and storytelling. It will be held at the Energy Events Centre in April 2026.
Hei Āhuru Mōwai Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa, the not-for-profit that helped bring the conference to Rotorua, said in a statement the programme, beyond academic and scientific presentations, would celebrate Māori culture and incorporate Rotorua’s world-renowned attractions and authentic cultural experiences to provide delegates with a “meaningful and enriching visit”.
The statement said attendees from around the globe would collaborate on culturally grounded solutions for cancer care. The event would bring indigenous voices, knowledge, and innovations to the forefront.
The event is held biennially and provided a platform for indigenous communities to address the disproportionate cancer burden they face, identify research priorities, and exchange approaches.
Hei Āhuru Mōwai led the bid to host the event with support from Tourism New Zealand Business Events and RotoruaNZ.
Chief executive Gary Thompson said Aotearoa New Zealand had a wealth of knowledge to share in indigenous cancer care, including Māori providers delivering hauora services.
“Hauora, our Māori view of health, embraces the physical, mental, social, and spiritual dimensions of wellbeing, placing whānau (family) at the heart of care.“
The holistic approach connected hospital cancer services and community providers to improve outcomes, he said.
“Through this conference, we aim to share these innovations with other indigenous nations while learning from their experiences to foster mutual growth and collaboration.”
Thompson said Māori were more likely to be diagnosed at later stages and experience poorer outcomes compared to non-Māori. The conference was to find solutions to turn around disparities, he said.
Hei Āhuru Mōwai Board of Trustees co-chair Dr Nina Scott and Hei Āhuru Mōwai tumuaki Gary Thompson standing in front of the United Nations building in Geneva. Photo / Hei Āhuru Mōwai
Tourism New Zealand business events global manager Penelope Ryan said hosting the event would enhance New Zealand’s reputation as a leader in indigenous knowledge and innovation.
“Additionally, it supports year-round tourism to New Zealand by bringing international visitors to our shores in April, after our peak summer season.”
RotoruaNZ is a council-controlled organisation.
Rotorua Lakes Council outlined its focus on attracting a “diverse range of events” to drive vibrancy, activity, and economic and community benefits in its latest Long-Term Plan. One such event was the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) Rongoā Māori conference last year.
RotoruaNZ business events manager Vanessa Wallace said the rongoā conference showcased Rotorua’s ability to attract and deliver culturally significant events, and reinforced Rotorua’s reputation as a destination that meaningfully integrated Māori culture.
“This success strengthened our bid for the current event and highlighted our expertise in hosting conferences that celebrate indigenous knowledge and perspectives.”
Rotorua would be showcasing its “rich Māori culture” and heritage during the conference. These were the city’s “unique strengths” that the council was using to attract international business events.
Wallace said the event would create “significant economic opportunities” of $1m for Rotorua as attendees paid for accommodation, hospitality, transport and tourism experiences.
“Securing high-profile conferences not only generates immediate economic benefits but also strengthens Rotorua’s reputation as a premier business events destination on the global stage.”
These events also strengthened local supplier networks and encouraged investment in infrastructure and services that benefited future conferences.
The coming year had a “strong pipeline” of conferences, Wallace said, spanning the health, forestry, indigenous business, and education sectors.
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell outside the council building. Photo / Laura Smith
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said it was special to host such a “meaningful conference”.
“Sadly, cancer affects many families, so sharing knowledge with people from other cultures and countries is an exciting opportunity to learn best practices and options for care.”
Tapsell said there was no doubt Rotorua’s welcoming community and Māori culture was a “strength for us all”.
“We often get feedback that this is why people choose Rotorua time and time again to visit and host these significant events.”
Attracting conferences and business events was important to support jobs in the city, she said.
“[The] council has made smart investments into improving our reputation as a top destination and we have a dedicated and driven team at RotoruaNZ that secure many national and international events which we’re grateful for.”
Laura Smith is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. She previously reported general news for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express, and has been a journalist since 2019.
