Tourism Strategy and Opportunities for Te Hana

It is been quite a bit while since last time I think about the relationship between Te Hana and Auckland economic development, today I have looked into some specific aspects of Te Hana, that can develop as strength and contribute to the overall regional economic development of Auckland.

Following are the aspects I have identified for Te Hana can be developed for future opportunity:

- refine of cultural tourism village

- become one tourism destination rather than by-pass stop

- promote with utilising the privileged strategic location

- promote by increasing recognition nation wide

- raise its community profile

These aspects can be categorised as developing local tourism project as economic driver. The visionary bigger picture for developing this project is to promote Te Hana’s community and economic development, in order to achieve the objectives, the community organisation will have to take specific actions in regard with above objectives.

Firstly, Te Hana Community Development Trust is formed to build a liveable vibrant community with good living quality, adequate jobs and opportunities, and to build a connection between Te Hana and the world, these objectives are relatively same as the objectives of cultural tourism project. In order to enhance local reputation and recognition, community organisation have to further enhance the community cohesion, due to Te Hana is a relatively small community, developing tourism village is highly depending on local residences’ voluntary work. The Trust has role to explain the benefits that this project will bring, once local residences are interested in and willing to participate voluntary job, the Trust may provide relevant skill training, or bring talents from elsewhere. As a consequence, these actions are able to provide local working opportunities and reduce un-employment rate; increases community cohesion and relatively raise local residences education level.

Secondly, once the community forms strong cohesion and with reputation enhanced, community organisation now have the role to get in touch with the councils. As mentioned above, under current New Zealand legislation of Resource Management Act 1991 and Building Act 2004, there are no regulations in regard with Maori traditional building restoring but only states Maori special affairs will be considered by the council. Thus it requires community organisation to communicate and explain the project to the council. Once the community is recognised by the council and project is approved, the Trust may launch the project and build a collaboration relationship with the council.

Thirdly, in order to build and to promote Te Hana as one renowned Maori cultural tourism spot, community organisation is required to ensure the adequacy of public facilities and social and physical infrastructures. By doing this, the community will be further more attractive to the tourists and passengers, in consequence to bring more opportunities and enhances community development as well as economic development.

In fact, the Te Hana Community Development Charitable Trust as the community organisation has already launched the project, and starts trying to make this project to be incubated and commercialised. All they need is political support or other supports from council or other interest organisations.