(Auckland, New Zealand) – TIME Unlimited Tours is delighted to start the 2017 ‘Maori New Year’ with the launch of its inaugural itinerary for their Cultural ‘City to Cape’ Collection. As part of its Winter TIME Collection, the new suite of tour products aptly named “Season of Matariki – A Star Journey” targets premium visitors from the North American, South American, Chinese and European markets who seek a fully integrated, seasonally themed Maori cultural experience. These experiences range from one day, one way or multi day options throughout the culturally significant regions of Auckland and Northland.
Discerning clients seeking luxury options can immerse themselves in quality, trade-ready Maori cultural experiences that profile and showcase culturally significant locations and attractions between Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) and Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga) at the top of New Zealand’s North Island. These unique experiences are further enhanced by a seasonal theme and storyline which ensures that a relevant seasonal, regional and cultural thread is maintained and the storytelling and hosting is delivered in luxury by TIME Unlimited Tours, winners of multiple global tourism awards including the National Geographic World Legacy Award.
With TIME Unlimited Tours hosting the experience throughout while working collaboratively with its cluster partners, they deliver bespoke, exclusive or behind the scenes experiences as part of each itinerary to share both their Maori history and their everyday cultural upbringing. The experiences provide exclusivity and choice by connecting local people to the local places visited so that every cultural encounter is as unique as the manuhiri (guests) themselves who can tailor the experience to their interests and requirements. The aim is to gain a sense of genuine connection between visitors and locals so that guests can have authentic experiences that share who we are as Maori in our everyday celebration of Matariki (the Maori New Year). Immersion into our tikanga (customs) fosters a greater understanding of Tangata Whenua (people of the land) and empowers our guests to feel comfortable to engage with the locals. The exclusive opportunities utilise all of a person’s five senses and adding further value in the form of the unique sixth sense Maori intuitively use to command equilibrium in life.
TIME Unlimited Tours, an iconic New Zealand luxury tour operator and winner of multiple global awards, has been awarded a $50,000 Auckland Airport Tourism Industry Development Grant. The 2016 ‘Four Seasons Five Senses’ funding sought to support the creation, development or clustering of experiences or itineraries, and the related product marketing collateral or promotional development, that will deliver a seasonally themed experience. The Winter TIME Collection begins in June with the narrative built and TIME Unlimited Tours state “the intangible sixth sense we have can’t be taught or explained but rather it’s a feeling we as Maori know and understand”. Our Maori New Year begins with a new offering of real experiences connecting visitors with people, places and stories of Matariki.
Ceillhe Sperath of TIME Unlimited Tours goes on to say “this premium offering is really about Maori tourism collaborating to deliver a 2-way dialogue and interactive culturally based, seasonally themed and regionally focussed luxury itineraries for the discerning premium market. At TIME Unlimited Tours we draw our strength from our brand which utilises the Pikorua symbol, which is based on the premise that sharing our living culture is the cornerstone of any experience. As Maori we believe that there is a spiritual merger of two people or peoples for eternity – in essence what the tourism and Conferences & Incentives sectors are all about, leaving a lasting positive impression.
Furthermore, our expressed aim is to engage and excite our visitors by using all their senses but it is the unique sixth sense we have as Maori that is the real point of difference for those travelling to seek what they cannot find or replicate anywhere else in the world – where they have the unique opportunity to meet our people in their places of origin. The focus is then on the regional and seasonal feel that we believe will gain global appeal”.
ATEED and Northland Inc, Regional Tourism Operators for their respective regions, have selected businesses they believe to be key to the successful delivery to this Auckland Airport ‘Four Seasons Five Senses’ campaign. Visitors enjoy the rich cultural heritage of the Tail of the Fish from Auckland - Tamaki Herenga Waka (the mooring place of many canoes) to Northland – Te Tai Tokerau (northern tide).
This regional focus aligns with the new four-year strategy for Tourism New Zealand to attract visitors to new regions during off-peak seasons and with the 2019 China-New Zealand Year of Tourism providing experiences that many overseas visitors are seeking.
TIME Unlimited Tours’ Cultural Collection will soon offer new products to complete the Four Seasons Five Senses campaign for Spring TIME Collection, Summer TIME Collection and Autumn TIME Collection.
