Building International Connections Through Authentic East Coast Tourism

eXplore Expo 2026

Held at Eden Park on 7 May, eXplore brought together approximately 100 tourism operators from across the Central North Island. The event provided valuable networking opportunities and workshops focused on emerging marketing trends and visitor engagement.

Attending eXplore allowed Maunga Hikurangi Tours to strengthen relationships with regional tourism operators, exchange ideas, and continue building awareness of the unique cultural experiences available in Te Tairāwhiti.

Tairāwhiti Gisborne Trade Show Operators, Monty Manuel pictured centre back

TRENZ 2026

Monty Manuel with international agent showcasing Maunga Hikurangi Tours

TRENZ is New Zealand’s largest international tourism business event, bringing together tourism operators and international travel buyers from around the world. Through a series of pre-booked meetings over three days, Maunga Hikurangi Tours, alongside Tairāwhiti Gisborne, showcased the unique stories, landscapes, and cultural experiences of the East Coast region.

Attending TRENZ is an important opportunity for Maunga Hikurangi Tours to maintain and strengthen relationships with international buyers while reinforcing the reliability, quality, and longevity of the experience offered. Face-to-face meetings also gave buyers the opportunity to experience the personality behind the tours through Tour Manager Monty Manuel, whose charisma, passion, and storytelling help bring the authentic East Coast experience to life.

International buyers showed growing interest in “First Light” experiences and immersive off-the-beaten-track cultural tourism that creates meaningful connections to place, people, and whakapapa. The event reinforced the increasing demand for authentic Māori tourism and unique regional experiences within the international market.