Industries

Tourism is Northland's second-biggest income earner with the region recognised as a leading destination for visitors.

Northland - experience it!

Northland is rich in natural resources, history and culture and its warm climate affords opportunities throughout the year. Key icons include Cape Reinga, the Waipoua Forest, the Bay of Islands and the Twin Coast Discovery Highway which has been developed to guide and spread visitors around the region.

In the year ending 2004, Northland attracted over 1.6 million international and domestic visitors, contributing $637 million to the region’s economy and employing 1 in 9 Northlanders.
By 2011 total visitor expenditure in Northland is forecast to increase by $247 million (38.8%) to $884.3 million.

A taste of Northland at Cottle Hill Winery

There are more than 1,300 tourism operators providing products such as sightseeing and adventure activities, a wide range of accommodation, restaurants, cultural tourism and entertainment and nature-based options.

The Northland Tourism Strategy 2003 to 2008 and Beyond was launched in 2003 with recommendations that provide a framework to guide the development of Northland tourism, to allocate responsibilities, to identify issues, to develop action plans and to chart a positive, profitable and sustainable future for tourism in Northland.

Hauntingly beautiful, ancient Northland Kauri forests

Tourism within the region is well supported by motivated stakeholders from the private sector, Northland Iwi, local councils and central government agencies who meet regularly to progress specific issues that the sector faces such as infrastructure, icon product development, seasonality issues.

Northlanders recognise the value of not only welcoming its visitors, but with them, sharing and sustaining the environment and celebrating Northland’s lifestyle, culture and heritage.

Related Websites

• Enterprise Northland
  Download a copy of the Northland Tourism Strategy 2003 to 2008 and Beyond
  
  
  
• Destination Northland
  Find out about Northland’s regional tourism organisation, Destination Northland
  
• Tai Tokerau Tourism
  Visit the website of Tai Tokerau Tourism, established to foster the development of Maori and cultural tourism operators in Northland
  
• New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
  Find out more about the tourism industry in New Zealand at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s, the government's national economic development agency, website
  
• Tourism Research Council
  Tourism related research, data and forecasts at the Tourism Research Council
• Tourism New Zealand
  Visit New Zealand tourism's international marketing organisation’s website
  
• Tourism Industry Association
  The Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) is a membership-based representative body of tourism operators with a focus on advocacy and policy, industry development activities and developing and maintaining relationships between tourism stakeholders.