Encouraging report for Grow Rotorua

OPTIMISM: Grow Rotorua's annual report is encouraging. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Identifying economic development opportunities for Rotorua, backed up by solid research, is the highlight of Grow Rotorua's annual report published yesterday.

Grow Rotorua is an independently governed Rotorua District Council - Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) formed in June 2012 for a three-year term to implement the council's sustainable economic growth strategy.

After setting the vision and strategy in year one, Grow Rotorua has focused on research and developing specific opportunities in its second year, the report says.

Based on four key areas - forestry, geothermal, tourism and agriculture - the organisation is now poised to implement projects in its third year.

Grow Rotorua chief executive Francis Pauwels said there were exciting developments across the board and the highlight was working with people passionate about Rotorua's potential.

"Grow Rotorua has made excellent headway in research and planning for a wide range of projects, a number of which will come to fruition over the next six to nine months," Pauwels said.

"Best of all, a large number of people all have the same vision and are making traction in their various areas of expertise."

In tourism, Rotorua's mountainbiking was in the global spotlight more than ever and Grow Rotorua supported this with the development of a 10-year cycle tourism strategy and the proposed Rotorua Trails Trust.

In the spa and wellness sector, Grow Rotorua has become part of the Hot Springs Alliance Group, conducting research in 16 countries and 104 hot-springs areas, while also giving presentations at the Global Spa and Wellness Summits and helping with commercial development.

Other opportunities have also been identified, including manuka honey and oil, while a proposal is being worked on to establish a lakes freshwater centre. Work is also underway in forestry and wood processing which includes exploring technology to produce activated carbon from wood biomass.

As well as traditional applications, activated carbon could play a role in the removal of nutrients responsible for water quality problems in the Rotorua lakes.

Pauwels said another highlight had been a grant of $240,000 for three years from Education New Zealand to enable the implementation of Grow Rotorua's international education initiative. .

"The alignment between ourselves and Rotorua District Council, Te Arawa and businesses around the region, as well as working closely with relevant government departments and other agencies in the wider Bay of Plenty, is another highlight.

"The past year has given us collective leadership clarity in terms of what roles each organisation takes in moving projects forward."

Pauwels said the organisation was in a good position to demonstrate the value it could add to the district through facilitating investment, establishing new structures and partnerships, and providing the resources to drive growth forward.