Local Collaboration, Global Opportunity: My Notes from the Tourism Industry Forum
Oct 2025
Insights
This week I attended the Tourism Industry Forum hosted by Destination Marlborough.
I didn’t get to stay for the whole thing (mom duty calls!) but what I did hear was full of insight, inspiration, and reminders that we’re in this together.
I wanted to jot down a few of my takeaways—not as a summary of the event, but as a snapshot of what stood out to me as a designer, small business owner, and tourism supporter in Marlborough.
The theme that kept coming up again and again was collaboration between local operators.
I had invited a client to attend the forum—she’s currently trying to improve her shoulder season bookings and length of stay, and one of my suggestions to her recently was to collaborate with others nearby. This isn’t just about partnerships for the sake of it. When done well, it improves her offer, adds value to others, and creates a better experience for travellers.
Everyone wins. Including the region.
I know, it's easier said than done.
Environmental sustainability was another major thread. Everyone agrees it’s important, but I didn’t catch a lot of specifics—possibly due to my limited knowledge on operational realities.
One thing that did stand out was a presentation from a company using AI to integrate with accounting platforms. It pulls data, sorts it, and translates it into real-time carbon insights—identifying where emissions are coming from and what can be done about them. Very cool. Very future-facing. The kind of thing that could become standard.
One of the most exciting updates from the forum was around Wellington Airport’s runway extension.
They’re using a clever safety feature called EMAS (Engineered Materials Arresting System) at the end of the runway. It’s a special type of crushable concrete designed to stop an aircraft safely if it overruns the runway — kind of like a runaway truck ramp, but for planes.
Because EMAS requires less space than a traditional safety zone, it frees up more room for actual runway. With this change, Wellington gains 130 metres of usable runway, allowing larger aircraft to land.
The result? Wellington could soon host international flights—opening up the middle of New Zealand in a whole new way.
For Marlborough, that’s big. Blenheim is just a short 15-minute flight away, so this could significantly improve international access to the region, especially for families and travellers coming from overseas.
As someone who thinks a lot about design and systems, I love seeing small, smart shifts like this that create a huge ripple effect.
One panel speaker—a boutique accommodation provider—made a really interesting point: stop thinking in seasons.
He stays open all year and manages cash flow to support that. Why? Because if visitors want to come, but find everything closed, we’re missing the opportunity and the message. He’s even had guests eager for a cellar door experience, only to find the doors were closed for winter.
I agree with his thinking. Marlborough has a “sleepy town” vibe, sure—but we can still show up consistently and make it easy for travellers to say yes.
There were a few mentions of transport challenges—both for guests and operators. Whether it’s freight, airport connections, or reliable transit, it’s a reminder that tourism can’t grow faster than the systems it runs on.
Just something to keep in mind as we imagine what’s possible here.
The forum was a great reminder that Marlborough’s tourism future isn’t just about big investments or flash campaigns. And that the world outside is a competitive one.
It’s about working together, showing up, staying open, and making sure the world can find us—and get here smoothly when they do.
Thanks again to Tracey Green and the Destination Marlborough team for putting this together. Looking forward to what’s next.
