Kai and concert tourism stale

Rotorua needs to move on from hangi and concerts and tell its stories if it wants to remain New Zealand's cultural tourism capital.
Rotorua Destination Tourism Marketing manager Don Gunn said the district was the birthplace of cultural tourism in New Zealand. However, other regions are developing cultural activities and Rotorua needs to tell its own stories to provide a point of difference and maintain its appeal.
"Our challenge is to work closely with Maori to tell our story of Te Arawa. We want to encourage authentic cultural products that tell a story of our region that is different to other regions," Mr Gunn said.
Tamaki Tours director Mike Tamaki agreed.
He said today's travellers were far more educated, sophisticated and discerning about what they wanted to see. Telling stories specific to the region would provide better diversity of the Maori culture and avoid repetition, he told the Daily Post.
In the past there had been hangi and concerts set up throughout New Zealand but for a unique point of difference, regions needed to tell the stories belonging to them, Mr Tamaki said.
He agreed Rotorua had to diversify to hold its title of indigenous capital of New Zealand.
"It doesn't matter where you go in the world, I can guarantee you will get two things - a feed and a dance."
Mr Tamaki said Rotorua tourism operators needed to "get smarter" by telling their own stories about their own people and landscapes through various media, including song and dance.
Performers at Tamaki Tours spoke about their own lives, their forefathers' experiences and the region's landscapes, he said.
Wetini Mitai-Ngatai of Rotorua's Mitai tourism venture, said his business was already telling the stories of the region.
"We talk about our traditional lives and the impact on the Maori society, how we have come through the ages and the challenges we face today."
Mr Gunn said improving the cultural experience for visitors was only part of securing Rotorua's future in tourism.
The introduction of transtasman flights at the city's airport also feature at the top of his tourism wish-list.
Transtasman flights would attract more tourists, particularly from Australia, to Rotorua as well as Whakatane and Taupo, he said.
He was also keen to see Rotorua host more lifestyle festivals such as an Indigenous Food Festival and Pacifica Festival to complement the sporting events the city already attracts.
He said he hoped the recent success of the 2006 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships would stand Rotorua in good stead when it came to attracting teams playing in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
"We'd like to see some key teams based here in Rotorua."
Mr Gunn also predicts major benefits for Rotorua's accommodation sector when Taupo hosts the international A1GP motor racing event next January and Karapiro hosts the World Rowing Championships in 2010.