Intrepid Travel has expanded its First Nations-led experiences in New Zealand with a new partnership with Māori-owned tourism business Hinemaia Tours.
The arrangement gives travellers the opportunity to connect with local Māori culture and community life in Taumarunui.
The experience is included in Intrepid’s New Zealand Northern Trail itineraries and takes small groups to Morero Marae, a traditional Māori meeting place, where visitors are welcomed through a pōwhiri (traditional welcome) before spending time with local whānau (families).
Rather than a staged cultural performance, the experience offers an opportunity for genuine cultural exchange.
Guests meet members of the local Māori community, hear everyday stories about their way of life, share stories from their own cultures and enjoy kai (food) together in the community kitchen.
The experience is led by Fiona Kahukura Hadley-Chase of Hinemaia Tours, a Māori-owned tourism business whose name translates to ‘brave woman’ in te reo Māori.
It also creates opportunities for the wider Taumarunui community, with students from Taumarunui High School and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Taumarunui contributing to the experience.
Simon McKearney, General Manager of Intrepid New Zealand, said the partnership reflects the growing importance of locally led experiences in the company’s New Zealand itineraries.
“Intrepid’s mission is to create positive change through the joy of travel,” he added.
“Our guests are curious travellers who want to learn about the destinations they visit, not just see the well-known attractions.
“This collaboration with Hinemaia Tours gives them authentic connections with local people, and we know these exchanges will live long in the memory for our manuhiri.”
Fiona Kahukura Hadley-Chase of Hinemaia Tours said the experience was about sharing the community’s everyday stories and way of life.
“Our vision has always been simple: we are being who we are. We want to share our everyday stories and our way of life,” she added.
“This is a kaupapa for our hapū and iwi. It is authentic, it is local and it reflects who we are as a community.”
The partnership is part of Intrepid’s broader commitment to working with local communities and First Nations tourism operators to create more meaningful travel experiences.
