Tourism Industry Aotearoa Summit 2025: Key Takeaways

Image credit: Tourism Industry Aotearoa

Last month I had the privilege of returning to Aotearoa for the Tourism Industry Aotearoa Summit, my first time back in a year after relocating to California. It was a whirlwind week of reconnecting with industry friends, customers, and partners, and it reminded me just how special this community is. Distance hasn’t weakened those connections; if anything, it’s strengthened them. Stepping back into the room felt like coming home. 

Below are my key takeaways from the Summit. 

AI, AI, AI: It’s Here, It’s Staying, and It’s in Everything 

If there was a theme that threaded its way through every keynote, panel, and workshop, it was AI. It didn’t matter whether the topic was marketing, workforce development, operations, or strategy, AI crept into almost every conversation. 

The message was clear: AI isn’t coming; it’s already here. And it’s here to stay. 

Rather than fearing it, the challenge for tourism businesses is to find practical, meaningful ways to leverage it: 

• Use AI to remove mundane, repetitive tasks that drain staff time. 
• Support your marketing with smarter, faster content creation. 
• Enhance the customer experience with better personalisation and communication. 
• Make AI safe, accessible, and unintimidating for your team so they feel supported, not replaced. 

Our role as leaders is to guide our people through this shift and ensure AI becomes a tool for empowerment, not anxiety. 

“Uncertainty Is the New Black”: What the Economists Had to Say 

The head economist from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and the chair of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise both shared thought-provoking views on the economic landscape ahead. The resounding message? Uncertainty is the new black. 

Instead of fearing unpredictability, businesses need to build resilience through scenario planning. That means mapping out a range of possibilities like fluctuating booking patterns, environmental disruption, economic swings, even another pandemic, and preparing strategies for each. 

Doing this doesn’t eliminate uncertainty, but it equips you, your leadership team, and your staff with the confidence to respond rather than react. 

Nature Is Your Most Important Supplier 

One standout presentation came from Izzy Fenwick of the Aotearoa Circle, who emphasised a perspective that deserves to be taken seriously across the industry: 
Nature is your most important supplier. 

If we were to treat the natural environment the same way we treat our most valued business partners or customers, how would our actions change? 

For many tourism operators, the environment isn’t just a backdrop, it’s the product itself. Without a thriving natural world, our industry simply wouldn’t exist. 

Her message was a timely reminder to embed environmental care into strategy, operations, and storytelling. It’s not just sustainability; it’s business sense. 

The Business Fundamentals: People, Experience, and Margin 

Another thread woven through the Summit was the importance of returning to the basics. Several speakers reinforced that every tourism business fundamentally revolves around three core pillars: 

• Your people 
• Your customer experience 
• Your margin 

Taking care of your team is the foundation of everything. Culture isn’t fluff, it directly impacts productivity, creativity, and the quality of experience delivered to your customers. 

From there, ensuring your customer experience is consistent, thoughtful, and responsive is crucial. Stay across your reviews, listen to your audience, and keep adapting to their needs. 

And finally, in an environment marked by high inflation and shifting international markets, keeping a vigilant eye on your margins is more important than ever. Profitability is not a dirty word, it’s what allows businesses to innovate, invest in their people, and continue operating sustainably. 

If you want to delve deeper into each topic you can view the Summit slides on the TIA website.

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