Industry mourns death of tourism ambassador
AUCKLAND – New Zealand tourism has lost a great ambassador with the death of Sir Howard Morrison.
Sir Howard was a member of the New Zealand Tourism Board in the late 1990s and an active promoter of Maori culture both in New Zealand and offshore.
“Sir Howard’s fine voice helped to reaise awareness of Maori culture, which is so closely aligned with New Zealand’s identity and such an integral part of the tourism industry,†said Tourism New Zealand CEO, George Hickton.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Sir Howard travelled extensively promoting New Zealand.
As well as trips to Australia, he travelled across North America to promote New Zealand as part of the tourism board’s ‘Come to New Zealand’ and ‘Discover New Zealand’ campaigns.
Sir Howard was also instrumental in creating the first manaakitanga (hospitality) programmes within the tourism board and in promoting the Maori value of hosting visitors to the wider tourism industry, whether from New Zealand or overseas.
“Today, manaakitanga is a core part of the New Zealand tourism industry’s thinking and a major part of what sets our country apart from other destinations,†Hickton said.
Ian Jarrett
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