Tourism Futures Taskforce

Steve has been the Mayor of Rotorua since 2013, and was elected to the Rotorua District Council in 1996.

Steve was a Member of Parliament from 1999 – 2011 and appointed to Cabinet in 2007 as Minister of Conservation, Women’s Affairs and Associate Minister of Health.

Steve is the co-Chair of the Responsible Camping Working Group. She is a trained midwife and has held a number of roles in the Health sector, including as union representative for the New Zealand Nurses Association.

Grant has been the Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Holdings Limited since 2008. Grant is Chairman of the joint venture businesses Action Manufacturing, Just go Motorhomes and Togo. He is also currently on the Board of Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA).

Grant’s background includes senior executive roles across the tourism, hospitality, gaming and retail industries. He held Director and general management roles within the retail sector before moving into tourism. Prior to joining Tourism Holdings Limited, Grant was a General Manager at SKYCITY Auckland.

Anna Pollock is the Founder of Conscious Travel. She has more than 45 years’ experience in tourism as an independent consultant, strategist, international speaker and change agent.

Anna is the Recipient of The Visionary of the Year Award from the Canadian tourism industry. She has also undertaken seminal work in many aspects of tourism, notably in education, sustainability and technology. She created the first internet-based tourism strategy for Scotland and co-developed one of the first multi-purpose destination management systems.

Anna's current work focuses on the application of systems thinking and regenerative principles to the tourism sector. 

Justin is the Chief Aeronautical and Commercial Officer at Christchurch International Airport, responsible for leading the airports aeronautical development, customer, HR and commercial teams.

He has an extensive career in international marketing and leadership roles spanning more than 20 years. Prior to the airport, Justin held the roles of Director of Trade, PR & Major Events and GM Marketing at Tourism New Zealand and before that he was Director of Marketing at McDonald's New Zealand & Pacific Islands and Marketing Manager at Coca-Cola Oceania.

Justin has a broad experience base, including significant international marketing and partnership experience, having worked intimately with all of New Zealand's key international trading partners, along with industry experience across FMCG, retail, tourism and government.

Justin is on the New Zealand China Council and was previously a Tourism Industry Aotearoa board member.

Ngahiwi was appointed Chair of  Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated  in 1996.

He is an experienced board and governance member, holding a number of positions including Deputy Chair of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board; Chair of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board’s Māori Relationship Board (MRB); Executive Board Member for the New Zealand China Council and Forum Member of the NZ Police Commissioner’s Māori Focus Forum; Waipatu Marae Representative – He Toa Takitini; Member and Co-Chair of the Pou Tahua Working Group for the Iwi Chairs Forum.

Sue has significant board and governance experience, holding chairperson roles at the Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman, Zag, Jade Software Corporation and Jacobsen Holdings. She is a Director at SKYCITY Entertainment Group and chair for the Board’s Sustainability Committee. She was the Chair of the Board of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority from 2003 – 2018, and of Callaghan Innovation from 2012 – 2018.

Sue holds a Master of Biotechnology from Massey University, and an Honorary Doctorate from Lincoln University, recognising her contribution to business and science.

Tak is the co-owner and director of the MDA Group operating in the tourism and events sector as well as business consultancy. Parent company, MDA Experiences, is an industry leader for both luxury and adventure tourism, which has a strong focus on Māori Business Development. It employs almost 60 staff over three subsidiary companies. 

In 2019, Tak won the University of Auckland Aotearoa Young Māori Business Leaders Award and the New Zealand Māori Tourism Award.

Having been in tourism for almost 20 years, Tak has spent his working life in the industry undertaking a wide range of roles from front line hosting and tour guiding to business development and marketing management.

Anna Black | Tourism Export Council

Charlie Philips | Queenstown Resort College

Chris Roberts | Tourism Industry Aotearoa

Dave Bamford | Sustainable Tourism Advisor

David Perks | Regional Tourism New Zealand

Debbie Summers | New Zealand Cruise Association

Fergus Brown | Holiday Parks Association of New Zealand

Gillian Millar | Accor New Zealand

Graham Budd | Great South

Hinewai Ormsby | Hawkes Bay Regional Council, Napier Māori Tours

Jacqui Wilkinson | Adventure Capital, RESET Tourism

James Dalglish | Rental Vehicle Association

Jan Finlayson | Federated Mountain Clubs

Jenny Coatham | Generation Zero

Jeroen Jongejans | Dive! Tutukaka

Julie White | Hospitality New Zealand

Karl Luxon | New Zealand Hotel Owners Association

Kerry Prendergast | Independent 

Kristin Dunne | Tourism Bay of Plenty

Les Morgan | Sudima Hotels

Lisa Li | China Travel Service

Lisa Hopkins | Conventions and Incentives New Zealand

Liz Macpherson | Independent

Malcolm Alexander | Local Government New Zealand

Mark Quickfall | Totally Tourism

Maxine Shortland | New Zealand Conservation Authority

Nicky Snoyink | Forest & Bird

Nicole Botting | Maverick Digital

Pania Tyson-Nathan | New Zealand Māori Tourism

Richard Wagstaff | New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

Robett Hollis | Aranui Ventures

Scott Tasker | Auckland Airport

Shane Vuletich | Fresh Info

Steve Armitage | Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development

Susanne Becken | Griffith University

Tim Cossar | Te Puia

Trent Yeo | Ziptrek Ecotours

Wetini Mitai-Ngatai | Mitai Māori Village