Māori specialists to be trained at major i-SITES

Staff at some of New Zealand's busiest i-SITE Visitor Information Centres will soon be able to boost their knowledge of Māori tourism as part of a new training programme.

The Māori Tourism i-SITE Specialist Programme will be launched in June 2011 to provide additional training, initially for 20 i-SITE staff, from selected regions across the country.

The training will focus on Maori tourism experiences, protocols and regional stories and will include familiarisation trips to a number of significant Māori sites around New Zealand. Once the programme is completed the up-skilled staff will return to their home i-SITEs to share what they have learnt with their colleagues.

Paul Yeo, Executive Manager i-SITE New Zealand, said the training would help i-SITE staff better promote Maori cultural experiences during Rugby World Cup 2011.

"Māori culture is a significant part of the unique New Zealand experience. With Rugby World Cup 2011 on the horizon, there's no better time to create Māori experience specialists in some of our country's major i-SITEs. It's likely that this training will continue in coming years to ensure i-SITE staff are well prepared to offer the best possible advice to visitors."

Informational brochures and DVDs promoting Māori tourism experiences will be provided to i-SITEs around the country to compliment the programme and to raise awareness of Māori culture during Rugby World Cup 2011.

The Maori Tourism i-SITE Specialist Programme is funded by the Ministry of Economic Development and the training will be co-ordinated by Tourism New Zealand's Henare Johnson, who is currently on secondment to Auckland Tourism, Events, Economic Development Ltd (ATEED).