Tourism boss resigns to grow own business

Graeme Crossman has resigned as a director of Tourism Bay of Plenty to develop his own business - the iconic Kiwi 360 on the main road between Te Puke and Paengaroa.
"We are a small family business and I need to devote more time to be organised for what we see as big growth in tourism locally," he said.
"The cruise season will almost double next year, we are getting requests to get organised for the Rugby World Cup and we want to make a big push for visitors from China and India, two emerging markets," said Mr Crossman, a former All Black.
He said at this stage 81 cruise ships were scheduled to arrive at Port of Tauranga next season, up from 54, and then more than 100 ships would call the following year.
"Many of the Australian passengers have been to Rotorua before and now we have the chance to attract them on local tours. We get many cruise ship passengers through our operation."
Mr Crossman wants to expand Kiwi 360 and include avocado and manuka honey attractions, as well as kiwifruit.
During his five years on the Tourism Bay of Plenty board, Mr Crossman emphasised the "huge asset we've got in Port of Tauranga and the cruise business", and the need to have local onshore tourist activities and products.
"We have to ensure that we have product that reflects our name - the Bay of Plenty," he said.
After managing the popular Kiwi 360 attraction since 2003, the Crossman family bought the tourist business four years later. The land and buildings are owned by a Maori trust.
Tourism Bay of Plenty chairman Graeme Marshall said Mr Crossman had been a valuable director - he chaired the Coastal Bay of Plenty Festival Charitable Trust - and had helped strengthen the organisation.
The regional tourism organisation, based in Tauranga and covering coastal Bay of Plenty, will soon be advertising for a new director to replace Mr Crossman.