offer amazing experiences that are often overlooked. Giving her take on the matter, Upston also comments, saying, “I think our food and wine sector is a very untapped part of New Zealand’s market.” While its adventure tourism is globally renowned, the food and wine sector represents a significant area of growth potential. New Zealand produces some of the world’s finest wines, with regions like Hawke’s Bay on the North Island and Marlborough at the top of the South Island particularly celebrated for their Sauvignon Blanc. Beyond wine, the country boasts a strong culture of creating fantastic food, offering an amazing array of restaurants and cafes in every city and town. This culinary excellence is seen as a unique offering that, despite its high quality, could benefit from more prominent promotion. However, for those seeking thrills, New Zealand remains the birthplace of the bungee jump, a quintessential “must-do” for adventurous visitors. The invention of the jet boat engine also solidified New Zealand’s reputation for innovation in adventure, with jet boating on its lakes and rivers becoming a popular attraction. Other activities range from exhilarating speedbased experiences to more tranquil pursuits like trout fishing. THE FUTURE OF TOURISM: HUMAN CONNECTION AND STORYTELLING In a post-COVID world, the trajectory of tourism in New Zealand is shaped by a nuanced understanding of evolving traveler expectations. “One of the things, post-COVID, that people are looking for is more human interaction. So, while we’ve got to be innovative to drive productivity in tourism and hospitality, I think the thing that people still look for is that person-to-person contact,” Upston explains. 95 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 07, ISSUE 07 NEW ZEALAND TOURISM & HOSPITALITY
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