He told Hawke's Bay Today the New Zealand's Retirement Villages Act was world leading legislation. The Act gave registered village members "absolute right of tenure" and controlled village operators.
"We have a constant stream of overseas visitors and groups coming to see what we do and transplant it back to Malaysia or China or South Africa or the States - occasionally even Australia," he said.
"Hawke's Bay has a lot of retirement villages. The local industry's market share in the 12 months from 2013 to 2014 went from 10.5 per cent of the over-75 population nationally to 12 per cent of the over-75 population nationally.
"If you go back to 2012 it was about 9.5 per cent so in two years it is risen by the thick end of 3 per cent.
"In Hawke's Bay you have 13 per cent of the over-75 population living in retirement villages so you are above the national average [of 12 per cent], which is hardly surprising because it is sunny and nice."
He said the growth of villages would continue in the region but the next generation would retire later than its parents.
"We talk to people about the tsunami of baby boomers but of course the oldest baby boomer is only 67," the 63-year-old said.
"So it will be about 10 years before we turn up in any number - the average age of village entry is the mid-to-late 70s, so we have 10 years before the baby boomers arrive in any number."
Investment was needed to provide capacity. "Virtually every village is looking at its land and wondering how it can expand."
The voluntary association is funded by membership subscriptions and has about 95 per cent of the industry is members. About two thirds of members are corporates, like Summerset Group, which last week announced a record $24.4 million in underlying profit for its full-year result, from $1 billion in assets.
Summerset has villages in Havelock North, Napier and Hastings.
The association is lobbying to have central government's means-tested rates rebate programme extended to retirement village members, who currently paid rates through village administrative fees.
Talking and listening to groups such as Age Concern was a prime role of the association, he said.
He said a typical question at his talks was on elder abuse.
"Age Concern do a lot of work around that and as a result we engage their elder abuse consultants to come and talk to our managers at our regional forums about how to recognise it in residents.
"Usually in a village it is not physical abuse. It is around financial and mental abuse, often from the families, along the lines 'If you really love me you would give me $30,000. I needed more than you do, that's my inheritance'."
