Paper short abstract:

This paper extends on a domestic tourism study that looked at the economic impact of educational trips to three tribally owned destinations in Aotearoa. The host and visitor responses in the study support and validate the value of alternative approaches of indigenous peoples in tourism development.

Paper long abstract:

Tourism forms one of four major Maori economic development sectors in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The importance of indigenous tourism development is not limited to indigenous peoples as global influences impact on every nation's ability to differentiate themselves as unique destinations.

This paper extends on a domestic tourism study that looked at the economic impact of educational trips to three different marae destinations. Marae are the cultural centers of tribal indigenous people of Aotearoa, the Maori. The study focused on the economic impact of marae visits. In addition to the economic impact findings other significant factors emerged. Marae operators (tribal owners, guardians) rely heavily on a complex 'informal economy' that includes cultural processes such as kaitiakitanga; koha and manaakitanga (these concepts include notions of reciprocity, cultural obligation and guardianship). These processes are not measured in traditional tourism development indices however the findings from the visitor experiences in the case studies show that they are significant to the cultural tourism product and the enhancement of indigenous mechanisms of guardianship and protection of cultural property. Visitor responses such as "a life changing experience", "a spiritual awakening" and "a never to be forgotten experience" present a snap shot of the common themes of the survey respondents. The cultural processes embedded in traditional tribal practice on marae are not easily replicated, unable to be delivered by non-indigenous peoples and maintain cultural integrity of the hosts while at the same time regenerating the 'authentic' tourism product the emergent global travelers are seeking.