Rotorua's mayor hopes her presentation to more than 300 of the world's top spa and wellness operators, developers and investors will help make the city a world leader in the spa industry.
Steve Chadwick talked about Rotorua's long history as a spa and hot springs destination at the Global Spa and Wellness Summit in Marrakech, Morocco, last week.
She said Rotorua was an established international visitor destination with a unique mix of history, culture, landscape and natural geothermal resource, unmatched anywhere else.
Mrs Chadwick is hoping to attract some of the summit delegates to Rotorua to look at potential investment, and is also investigating the possibility of bidding for Rotorua to host the Global Spa and Wellness Summit in the future.
She said the summit was a perfect opportunity to talk one-on-one to potential investors with the aim of getting them interested in Rotorua.
"That would give some real momentum to our Rotorua 2030 business innovation and prosperity goal around economic sustainability and use of our natural resources. Rotorua used to be a world leader in the spa industry and, given our abundance of natural geothermal resources, we want to regain that position," she said.
Global Spa and Wellness Summit president Susie Ellis, of New York, said she had been taken by the Rotorua story and the city's vision.
Ms Ellis said she had never seen such a combination of beautiful landscapes, lakes, natural reserves, indigenous culture and geothermal resources in such an exotic location, all within close proximity.
QE Health marketing manager Mandy Godo said turning Rotorua into a spa city would be "great for business".
"I think it is a wonderful idea and it's great the mayor has that vision for Rotorua. The timing is perfect to reinvent the city and regain that claim of being one of the best spa cities in the world.
"Investing in this area of industry will put the focus on the spa facilities already in Rotorua and look toward future growth."
Polynesian Spa chief executive George White agreed.
"It's important to sell to our strengths, which obviously include the beautiful natural spa and geothermal environment offering great opportunity."
Mrs Chadwick said with substantial iwi ownership of land providing access to geothermal resources, there were real opportunities for Te Arawa investment potentially creating jobs.