Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust deputy chairman David Tapsell said the trust welcomed its relationship with Tasman Holiday Parks and looked forward to seeing the prime accommodation site re-opened.
“With the welcomed return of our international manuhiri, as well as sustaining a steady level of domestic manuhiri, this partnership provides a much-needed boost in visitor accommodation.
“Tourism and manaakitanga are part of the fabric of Rotorua, and who we are as Ngāti Whakaue. The industry has faced significant challenges during Covid, but we have come out of it stronger, having rebuilt, reimagined and reinvigorated our offerings.
“We are committed to growing our tourism portfolio.”
Tasman Holiday Parks general manager for New Zealand, David Aflallo, said he was thrilled to have the opportunity to re-open the site, which will be called Tasman Holiday Park – Rotorua.
“This is a highly regarded and well-known establishment, located right in the middle of Rotorua.
“We look forward to making our own contribution to the local tourism sector and economy and working with Rotorua tourism whānau and, most importantly, with the community, to re-open the site.
“We are working with Pukeroa Oruawhata to ensure delivery on our tiaki promise – kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga and whanaungatanga. For us, it’s all about he tangata, he tangata, he tangata [the people, the people, the people].”
Tasman will be recruiting for several local roles in the coming weeks, including maintenance, grounds and housekeeping.
Tasman Holiday Parks owns 40 parks across Aotearoa and Australia.
Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust is crowing its tourism operation with shared ownership of Te Puia NZMACI and the luxury Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa, as well as involvement in Rainbow Springs, which was bought by a collective of Ngāti Whakaue entities at the end last year.
The latest RotoruaNZ figures show international visitor spend has increased 56 per cent from December 2019 to January this year.
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