Reading Time: 2 minutes
Tourism Industry Aotearoa recently revealed that their newly launched educational initiative, Akiaki, has quickly garnered significant interest, with 120 participants enrolling within the first two days of its introduction.
“Having this significant number of sign-ups to Akiaki in just two days demonstrates the
drive of tourism businesses to implement sustainable practices into their operations. This
shows the industry is ready and raring to further build their sustainability programmes
and customer experience and we’re delighted to be able to support them”, says Rebecca
Ingram, Chief Executive of TIA.
Last week in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, the Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) unveiled “Akiaki – Advancing Tourism,” a forward-thinking educational program crafted by experts to future-proof the tourism sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. This online course is dedicated to enhancing the capabilities of tourism businesses and instilling sustainable practices, ensuring they continue to positively influence the nation’s people, economy, and environment.
Recent studies conducted by Tourism New Zealand and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) highlight a significant trend: 81 percent of potential tourists considering New Zealand value sustainability highly, a stark contrast to the 52 percent observed within the general population of New Zealand.
“Most of our tourism industry is made up of small to medium-sized businesses that do
not always have the resources to invest in training and development. We know from our
own research that while some businesses are doing fantastic work in some areas, other
businesses often don’t know where to start when it comes to sustainability,” continues
Rebecca Ingram.
Akiaki proactively tackles these issues by providing clear, actionable advice and practical resources aimed at enhancing sustainability, business capacity, and growth. The program is in line with the goals of the national Tourism 2050 strategy, which envisions a thriving and prosperous tourism sector that significantly contributes to the betterment of Aotearoa New Zealand and its citizens.
Adopting a comprehensive approach to sustainability, Akiaki supports businesses in engaging visitors, connecting with local communities, and fostering positive practices such as investment and innovation. The program will roll out in three phases, each featuring a blend of reading materials, video presentations, interactive exercises, and case studies, designed to accommodate self-paced learning.
Funded by Te Pūkenga and delivered in collaboration with Grow Tourism, Akiaki is accessible to TIA members at no cost and available to non-members for $590 per individual, with discounted rates for group enrollments from the same organization.
The post Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s Akiaki Initiative Marks a New Education Phenomenon appeared first on Travel And Tour World.