New Zealand is renowned for manaakitanga (hospitality), with our country's hospitality sector at the forefront of creating memorable experiences and offering a warm welcome to locals and manuhiri (visitors).

In order to enable the local hospitality industry to do what it does best, Hospitality New Zealand has unveiled a new five-year strategy, outlining how it will help the hospitality sector to thrive.

Hospitality businesses are an economic engine and a focal point of the community in every New Zealand town. There are more than 24,000 of these businesses across the motu, employing more than 176,000 people.

Steve Armitage, Hospitality NZ's Chief Executive Officer, says the new strategy is designed to meet the needs of operators working in a sector that is New Zealand's seventh largest employer, and experiencing the fastest growth rate across all sectors.

"Hospitality is the glue that binds communities together. The restaurants, cafes, bars, motels and hotels spread across the motu serve as places where people gather to connect, unwind, stay and socialise," says Steve Armitage.

"As we move beyond the impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic and the current fiscal recession, we need to sharpen our focus on two fronts: supporting businesses through the here and now, but being deliberate about building towards a future where the sector is more sustainable and better equipped to weather any further headwinds."

New Strategy:

Hospitality NZ's strategy outlines how the organisation will deliver on its promise to be the hospitality sector's champion, introducing ideas and initiatives that are designed to generate long-term success for the sector. These include:

• Building a future-fit pipeline of talent
• Improving the environmental performance of the wider hospitality sector
• Addressing and championing mental health and wellbeing within the sector
• Advocating for major and business events that help stimulate the wider hospitality sectors
• Expanding connections with New Zealand's ethnic communities to ensure that our membership is as diverse as our business operators and patrons.

Steve Armitage says Hospitality NZ will also continue to focus on "providing the support our members, local business communities and the wider sector need to be successful today" by:

• Advocating on the issues that are most important to them to help create a positive business environment for hospitality.
• Providing members with up-to-date and relevant services, including employment resources and in-house legal expertise.
• Giving members access to world-class training and targeted resources which help business owners train and upskill their people, and supports their individual professional development.
• Celebrating sector excellence and providing members local and national connections, benefits, discounts and support.

Steve Armitage says: "We all know that the business landscape has undergone significant changes in recent years. Membership organisations like Hospitality NZ need to evolve to stay relevant and create a sense of belonging."

"Through implementing this strategy, we will provide improved tools, resources, partnerships, and knowledge, and deliver the support businesses and people in the hospitality sector need to succeed and add value to their businesses and careers."

"Ultimately, we aspire for hospitality to be recognised and celebrated for its contribution to Aotearoa, attracting fresh talent and generating sustainable returns for businesses and communities."

"Now is the time to renew our focus - to define a sector made up of good, sustainable, profitable businesses, developing the next generation of owners and leaders, that serve and support their communities, and create memorable experiences."

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