Through detailed consultation, Travel to a thriving future has ensured that the vision, purpose and values of local communities and iwi are strongly represented.

This will guide the Queenstown Lakes community on a journey towards regenerative tourism by 2030.

The core values and guiding principles are a set of agreed-upon behaviours and approaches that are embedded in the plan, its governance, and implementation. The values and principles should guide all decision-making for the visitor economy to ensure a consistent and coherent approach.

Vision and Purpose

Core values

Manaakitaka	Hospitality	We give a warm welcome to visitors (manuhiri), building unity through authentic connections and the act of sharing so that those arriving as manuhiri leave as extended family (whānau whānui). We care for the health and wellbeing of everyone in our community because those who are least visible are an important indicator for the health of the whole.
Whanaukataka	Family and community-focussed	Reciprocal relationships which are valued, strong and enduring weave us together as whānau. These relationships nourish our community, as well as enabling a productive and thriving visitor economy. We support and celebrate local whenever we can. Knowing what we wish to share with manuhiri, we invite them to share equally in the kinship of our communities through meaningful experiences and connections, rather than through transactions.
Kaitiakitaka	Guardianship	We experience kinship with the environment, rather than dominance over it, so that nature thrives for the benefit of all species, whilst providing for the wellbeing of our people and our place. Within the tourism industry this is often referred to as the kaupapa of tiaki.

Guiding Principles

Building communities		Our communities are the living heart of the district. We understand, respect and treasure their unique essence, identity and values by giving them an authentic voice and opportunity to shape their futures.
Enabling regeneration		We consciously nurture those people, activities and organisations that are already lively forces of regeneration, so that others will follow their lead and create the conditions for a regenerative community.
Demonstrating leadership		We collaborate to innovate partnerships with nature, communities and places which will enrich manuhiri, locals, workers and the environment.
Working together		We must work together, across the district and beyond, because no single organisation can achieve our vision alone. Organisations and agencies with a role to play openly share information and resources in the shared interests of achieving our goals.
Embracing change		Ka mua, ka muri; we look backwards to learn from the past and plan with prudence to prepare for the future. We do not fear change but embrace it as an opportunity to improve and be of greater service to our communities.

Kāi Tahu values in Queenstown Lakes

Travel to a thriving future flows directly from the Grow Well | Whaiora Spatial Plan, which proposes a vision and framework of how and where this district will grow until 2050. The Spatial Plan seeks to make Kāi Tahu more visible and reflect Kāi Tahu values. It does this by protecting and celebrating cultural values, including sites and areas of wāhi tupuna, and by restoring Kāi Tahu narratives, including within urban areas.

The Kāi Tahu values framework informs the decision making of the Grow Well | Whaiora Partnership, the direction of the Spatial Plan and Travel to a thriving future. The values and how they are applied to the Regenerative Tourism Plan are outlined below.

Whanaukataka	Family and community-focused	Ensuring consideration of the social implication of decisions to enable community and whanau connections and growth.
Manaakitaka	Hospitality	Demonstrating behaviour that acknowledges others, through the expression of hospitality, generosity and mutual respect.
Rakatirataka	Leadership	Ensuring the treaty partnership is recognised to enable mana whenua leadership in decision making processes
Haere whakamua	Future focused	Adopting a forward looking orientation with future generations in mind.
Tikaka	Appropriate action	Ensuring consideration of the appropriateness of decisions that will have a bearing on social, economic, environmental and cultural outcomes.
Kaitiakitaka	Stewardship	Enabling the inherited responsibility of mana whenua to support and protect people, the environment, knowledge, culture, language and resources on behalf of future generations.
Mauri	Life force	Recognising the life force in all lands, waters and the natural environment that stems from time immemorial, requiring a high duty of care for kaitiaki ( and others) to maintain an intact and healthy mauri, ensuring that what is gifted from the Atua is not neglected.

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Vision, Purpose and Values