Tour co offering authentic iwi cup stay

David Tanenui wants rugby fans in marae. Photo / Janna Dixon

A tour company is teaming up with iwi to offer up to 10,000 beds at marae during the Rugby World Cup.

Tourists will be charged between $80 and $200 per night for meals, transport to and from games, and lessons on Maori culture.

A New Zealand Experience product manager David Tanenui said some marae will offer a "five-star" option while others will be communal backpacker-style lodgings.

"Maori do not want to miss out this time. We missed out (at the last World Cup) but we are not going to this time around."

Tanenui has signed up eight marae in Auckland and is in talks with more than 20 others around the upper North Island.

He hopes iwi from all 13 host cities will join the venture.

There has been stinging criticism of hotel and motel operators hiking prices ahead of the tournament.

Tanenui said some marae stood to earn $100,000 from the plan, but their main motivation was to offer overseas guests some Maori hospitality.

Ngarimu Blair, a trustee of Ngati Whatua o Orakei in Auckland, confirmed they had been approached about hosting visitors during the tournament.

He said: "If we did, we would only offer it to high-end market and families. I couldn't see us opening our marae to the Barmy Army to come and spew all over our sacred carvings.

"We would only consider it by going the whole hog, with the powhiri and meals, sharing our histories and sharing each other's company."

Rugby World Cup boss Martin Snedden has welcomed "non-conventional" accommodation which will ease the strain on the country's hotels and motels.

bevan.hurley@hos.co.nz