Spa resorts planned for Rotorua

By REBECCA DEVINE in Rotorua
Rotorua could soon be known as the natural spa capital of the South Pacific with new developments already planned.

A local group aims to get people associating Rotorua with spa facilities, in much the same way the city is associated with Maori culture.

The group of business people want to promote the city as a spa destination both locally and throughout the world. They are thinking big and say Rotorua's healing waters mean the city's reputation as a spa destination is set to blossom further.

At least two major complexes are planning redevelopments and the regional council is reviewing its management plan for geothermal resources, which could lead to the rules being relaxed to allow more development.

QE Health has confirmed plans to go ahead with a "substantial" multimillion-dollar revamp of its facilities.

Chief executive Ben Smit said he believed the facility would become a world leading therapeutic spa.

The development of the "medi-spa" on the lakefront site is expected to see the number of therapist jobs increased "three or four times".

New facilities will include a large rehabilitation pool - one of the first of its kind in the country - as well as individual pools, massage areas and a cafe.

Mr Smit said the geothermal facilities, which the complex already used, were the key to Rotorua's future as a spa destination and helped greatly in rehabilitation and the treatment of conditions. "It is very difficult to have a quality spa resort without it. This will be the leading therapeutic spa in the world - there is no reason for it not to be."

Polynesian Spa is also looking at several ideas for redevelopment but the details are being kept under wraps at this stage.

Managing director Martin Lobb said his organisation was also looking at spending more money on the existing facility, starting with the revamp of the private spas.

He said Rotorua definitely had the potential to grow in the spa industry but doubted it would ever be the sole reason people visited the city. "Rotorua is a geothermal destination, spa has got the potential to capitalise on that."

Soaking in thermal waters was not regarded as a luxury anymore, and people were seeing it more as a preventive measure to help stay well, Mr Lobb said.

"Then there is also the pampering side which millions of people can't do without. I don't know of a woman who would turn it down."

Destination Rotorua Tourism Marketing general manager Don Gunn said Rotorua was already recognised as a spa destination and there was definitely potential for that to grow further.

There were very few places which had the number of natural spas Rotorua had, he said.

"It will be a major marketing point in the future." Mr Gunn hoped the review of the management plan by Environment Bay of Plenty would see the potential for more development. "Some would say it is somewhat burdensome at the moment so the review has got to be good."