In representing the region at TRENZ 2025, the country’s Zealand’s premier international tourism trade event, Destination Great Lake Taupō (DGLT) says Taupō contributed to over 650 meetings with a projected economic local benefit from these trade relationships estimated at $2 million.
Held over two and a half days earlier this month in Rotorua, TRENZ (previously known as Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand) brought together more than 1,200 delegates, including over 340 travel buyers from 26 countries – offering an opportunity to drive visitation and economic growth in the Taupō region.
DGLT engaged in 52 meetings with buyers from the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, India and Asia.
Taupō was well represented, said DGLT, with support from local operators Orakei Korako, Escape Aviation, Poronui Lodge, The Haka Shop, Chris Jolly Outdoors, and Destinate NZ.
Their regional experiences were showcased alongside major national brands such as AJ Hackett, Millennium, Hilton, Haka House, Ngāi Tahu, Rapids Jet, Te Pā Tū, Unique Stays and River Birches.
Taupō also hosted five familiarisation trips, bringing 15 international agents to the region and showcasing over 35 operators ranging from luxury lodges and outdoor adventures to cultural and family-friendly experiences.
DGLT general manager Patrick Dault, said there were plenty of reasons international visitors should come to Taupō, such as the area being voted one of the most welcoming places on earth.
“CNN named us one of the top 50 places to explore in 2025… And we've been a favourite for Kiwis for years. We've got an amazing town centre; we've got amazing eateries.”
Visitors from overseas were not only keen to immerse themselves in Māori culture, but also to live the Kiwi experience for a couple of days, Dault said.
As a base Taupō was only an hour and a half away from some of the best wineries in the world in Hawke's Bay, an hour to Rotorua for a luge ride or a tree walk, but also tourists could indulge in Taupō township and Tūrangi for such experiences as fly fishing.
“It's a pretty simple proposition, I should say, it's because Taupo's got it all.”
Local operators were pleased with the opportunity to reconnect with agents and showcase what they had to offer.
Tim Barke from Poronui said there had been strong interest in Poronui’s lake house, safari camp, and lodge dining.
“The feedback has been incredibly positive.”
Nikolos Gibson from Orakei Korako and Snow Rameka of The Haka Shop both felt they had been able to show what made their operations unique.
“The chance to connect with potential clients has been valuable, especially as we look to grow. The event has been incredibly well organised — a real credit to the team,” said Rameka.
He and his wife Dinny met with about 60 operators over the course of the event.
“It gave us an opportunity to speak to people, promote our business, talk about our region and walk away with the hope that we may have connected up with some worthwhile potential customers and clients… You learnt a fair bit about business operations and how to sit down and talk to people as well in that realm.”
One unintended consequence of The Haka Shop being at the conference was a future arrangement to share some training with fellow performers from Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Village, said Rameka.
“We're going to see… how they do things and then we're going to host them, and they're going to come and see how we do it… I'm really looking forward to that and I'm sure we can both learn off each other.”
The Ramekas felt one improvement for future Taupō delegations would be a more collaborative approach, so local operators felt less like they were competing against each other and more able to present packages to travel buyers – an idea Dault said sounded like it had merit.
Meantime DGLT reported a good response from agents on the familiarisation trips.
A Travel Duet product manager Aneri Shah said she now realised the region had much to offer her company’s high net worth clientele.
“Taupō packs a great offering for our Indian clients, granting access to the best of the Central North Island,” said Shah.
Damir Tomasevic of Pacific Travel House said he would be adding two or three nights in Taupō to itineraries for his European visitors in future.
