Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa

Duration: 2:49

[Still shot of Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa]

[Logo appears: Kānoa Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit]

[Text: Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa – Rotorua]

[Mid shot of David Tapsell. He stands in an area of Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa, with a patterned background]

David Tapsell: Our key objective at the outset was to utilise the land that had been returned to Pukeroa or Ngāti Whakawē’s purposes as a consequence of a settlement that occurred about 20 years ago, really to I guess imprint our position here as Manawhenua in the tourism industry, providing an offering that Rotorua hasn't had before really of five-star quality, spa and well-ness facility.

[Moving shot of roads entering Rotorua]

[Mid shot of David Tapsell. He stands in an area of Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa, with a patterned background]

[Wide shot of Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa from lakefront view]

David Tapsell: Kānoa investments have been essential. Really, we wouldn't have been able to proceed ourselves without Kānoa’s supports so it’s been incredibly valuable, and we wouldn't be here today.

[Moving shots of Rotorua buildings on the main road and of Wai Ariki sign post as you enter their site]

David Tapsell: It's an uplift in terms of tourism offering for Rotorua as a city, but also the BOP region and actually, Aotearoa New Zealand, there’s actually nothing like this in the country. So for us it's about that, it's about lifting our own people, lifting the city and the region in the country.

[Mid shot of David Tapsell. He stands in an area of Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa, with a patterned background]

[Still shot of glassy looking outdoor pools overlooking Rotorua lake on a fine day]

[Still shot of tukutuku panels in the Wai Ariki entrance]

[Still shot of exterior of Wai Ariki with clouds looming in the background]

[Still shot of one of the hot pools within Wai Ariki, with wood panelling and fairy lights surrounding the pool and hanging plants from the ceiling – creating an earthy feel]

[Still shot of people walking along the boardwalk at Rotorua lakefront]

[Still shot of vibrant Māori artwork on walls]

David Tapsell: Basically, the whole facility has been in the various aspects of the Ngāti Whakawe and Te Arawa culture in the terms of our history of bathing and wellness and how we achieve that through the various elements of water and fire and ice.

We're not institutional investors, we're intergenerational investors so this will be here I'm hoping, longer after I'm gone and people will be able to experience that and work here themselves.

[Still shot of one of the hot pools overlooking Rotorua lakefront]

[Moving shot of the sun shining on the exterior entrance of Wai Ariki]

[Wide shot of worker in the Wai Ariki cafe]

David Tapsell: The actual uplift, I think for me, was best expressed when we had the opening. And we had one or two people and they were crying and I went over to them and I said, "Are you okay?" And they said “they just never imagined that the Te Arawa or Ngāti Whakawe would actually, you know, run and own a facility such as this so yeah, it’s pretty significant, for everybody concerned.

[Still shot of a signpost on Rotorua lakefront pointing to Wai Ariki and QE Health]

[Moving shot of the exterior of QE Health]

David Tapsell: Crown investing in iwi actually leads to incredibly productive outcomes for everybody and we’re hoping that the Crown can continue on the journey with us and as I say we've got about 10 years of projects ahead of us so we're keen to have another conversation.

[Still shot of Rotorua lakefront playground]

[Still shot of Wai Ariki store with a visitor browsing the shelves]

[Mid shot of David Tapsell. He stands in an area of Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa, with a patterned background]

David Tapsell: The best thing here for us, all of us, all the directors, we walk in here and you see that you have created jobs for your own people. That is by far and away the best measure of success for us. In addition to obviously the facility and everything else, when you know that you have actually done something, built something out of the ground that it employs your own people, it's hard to top that.

[Moving close up shot of the top of the buildings on the main street of Rotorua]

[Still shot of people walking along Rotorua lake front]

David Tapsell: Tourism world, as you all know, the true mark of success is going forward, is this becomes the destination. I'm going to Rotorua because I want to go to Wai Ariki, and then I might to do something else. So in five years, that's what we want to see. So, you know, Spa and Wellness around the world. It's one of the fastest growing industries there is.  

[Still shot of Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa]

[Logos appear: Kānoa Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Hīkina Whakatutuki, Te Kāwanatanga o Aotearoa New Zealand Government.]