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UNION OF ANCIENT TREES
The Kauri Museum, Matakohe is a partner of the Family of Ancient Trees project which will bring more Japanese tourists to Northland.
Two of the world's oldest trees could help bring more Japanese visitors to New Zealand.
The two trees - Waipoua Forest's giant kauri Tane Mahuta and Jomon Sugi, a giant cedar on Yakushima Island off the coast of Japan - have brought the two countries closer in a ground-breaking 'Family of Ancient Trees' agreement to be signed in Northland today.
The agreement, much like a sister city relationship, will see the two trees promoted together in both countries. Japanese travel agents are already planning products and brochures that will see Tane Mahuta promoted alongside domestic travel to Yakushima.
"Yakushima is Japan's most popular World Heritage Site in terms of domestic travel with around 250,000 Japanese visiting the island each year. The connection between the two trees will give Japanese nature-lovers a compelling reason to visit New Zealand," says Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton.
"New Zealand's natural beauty is already the key attraction for international visitors and the Japanese market is no exception," says Mr Hickton.
Japanese officials arrived in New Zealand on Tuesday accompanied by media outlets Kyodo News, MBC TV, Nishi Nihon newspaper and Minami Nihon newspaper, which have a combined audience of more than 3.5 million. The agreement is also currently one of the top 10 listings on Yahoo Japan's homepage.
New Zealand guests including the Minister of Conservation Tim Groser, members of local iwi Te Roroa, local councillors and Tourism New Zealand representatives will also attend the signing.
Mr Hickton says Tourism New Zealand intends to expand the initiative to include trees of significance from other countries around the world.
"The family tree project is a living example of kaitiakitanga, or guardianship of the environment, a core value in the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015. This project fits well with Tourism New Zealand's work in Japan to promote walking holidays in New Zealand and provides an opportunity to share New Zealand's environmental attractions with others."
Japan is New Zealand's fifth largest tourism market and one of our highest spending markets. Though visitor arrivals from Japan have been in decline in recent years, average spend by visitors from Japan increased 16 per cent to NZ$4,290 in the year to December 2008.
Benefits of the Project:
Waipoua, Hokianga, and Kaipara communities
- Providing economic growth and employment through tourism
- Showcasing the above regions not only in Japan but eventually throughout the world via TNZ's trade marketing and PR strategies
- Opportunity to explain to Japanese and international audiences the forest's significance to the Waipoua, Hokianga and Kaipara communities
- Providing a means to continue the protection of the local environment and culture via education
- Bi-lateral learning's from cultural, tourism and student exchanges, including encouraging bilingualism of Japanese and Maori
- Possible stepping stone to gaining World Heritage status for Waipoua forest (such as that Yakushima holds) which would further elevate and promote the region
- Free high definition quality images, both moving and still, for promotional use
- Relationship building with the other key stakeholders
Yakushima
- Bi-lateral learning's from cultural, tourism and student exchanges, including encouraging bilingualism Japanese and Maori
- Raise profile of Yakushima on the world tourism stage through PR around the first sister tree relationship and future relationships driven by TNZ
- Raising awareness both in Japan and internationally of the importance of environmental protection and regional culture and lifestyle and especially on Yakushima
- Providing economic growth and infrastructure development through tourism
- Good fit with Japanese government Yokoso Japan campaign
Please click here to read more about The partnership between The Kauri Museum and The Family of Ancient Trees.
UNION OF ANCIENT TREES
Tane Mahuta (New Zealand) & Jomon Sugi (Japan)
Please click here to read more about the union of Tane Mahuta and Jomo Sugi (English Translation).
Please click here to read more about the union of Tane Mahuta and Jomon Sugi (Japanese Translation).
Union of Ancient Trees Wall Display at The Kauri Museum
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