Kerikeri luxury health resort, New Zealand

Tourism is one of the top sectors in New Zealand. Scarcely populated Northland had been underdeveloped in many respects including tourism, which is gradually improving. Tourism brings jobs and business to the region, including for Maori operators. Local shops and operators increase their focus on tourism of international as well as New Zealand travellers. As can be seen on our website, we advise our guests about recommendable tourism adventures and help in respect of bookings.

Another effect of tourism is that visitors fall in love with Northland (like ourselves) and decide to move here, buy or build their house and businesses. Our eco wellness resort is not the common tourist destination. The hosts are offering what they appreciated most during their extensive travelling combined with their hobbies of organic healthy food, wellness for body, spirit and ecology.

Socially beneficial practices:

• We buy locally as much as possible and support local businesses and operators as well as advising guests to do the same
• Advise guests of the local airport and bus station and provide complementary pick-up to avoid them renting a car
• We are active members of Kerikeri Business Association, Rate Payers Association, NZ Historic Places Trust, Vision Kerikeri, Environmental Defence Society, Rewa’s Village, Northland Tourism Development Group
• Actively participate in local development with submissions, membership engagement, district planning etc
• Support the new Aroha Island Charitable Trust in Kerikeri to start its camping, lodging, educational, kiwi bird watching operations with 40 hours/week since 1 year
• Organise local festivals like Steam & Heritage and Matariki
• Donate packages and massage vouchers to Charities like Starship Foundation (children’s hospital), local Justice of Peace conference, needy people, etc. – several thousand $ annually

We support the new Aroha Island Charitable Trust in Kerikeri. Aroha Island is a small sanctuary with a few rare kiwi birds in the wild. Aroha belongs to QEII National Trust and intended to lease it commercially to stop yearly deficits. The local population strongly opposed a commercial set-up, as closed gates would prohibit free public access to the wonderful place with natural flora and fauna, camping and lodging as well as the education centre as a community hall.

Having had a previous interest in Aroha Island, where we often take our guests for guided kiwi night walks as a unique experience, Inge and I were among the initiators and then organisers to set up the Aroha Island Charitable Trust, preparation of massive tender documents, taking guardianship of Aroha and organising the required deferred maintenance of buildings and grounds after years of neglect and storm damage. Rolf took responsibility for the upgrading of the buildings including the organisation of numerous volunteers, seeking donations and direct work like painting etc.

Inge is assisting the accounting. - The reopening of the island was a great success - also in the eyes of QEII, although they still have not finalised the required lease for our Aroha Island Charitable Trust. Yet, hundreds of day and overnight visitors have enjoyed the Aroha experience, and Rolf had a lot of fun as the onsite manager for 1 week before we could engage a volunteer couple from UK to take over. The whole project is based on volunteers' and members input. Inge and Rolf joint as life members immediately.

Environmentally beneficial practices:
We have switched to Meridian, NZ's only supplier of 100% renewable energies. Since taking over the resort in 2002 we reduced the average monthly energy bill from NZ $600 to NZ $280 despite annual increases of power prices by about 10%. We do this by:

• Using energy saving lights
• Having a switch-off policy
• The purchase of less power consuming equipment
• The installation of solar hot water system
• The installation of wind power generator failed due to lack of steady wind
• The installation of additional solar panels to generate electricity is planned

Rain water is collected in 3 large water tanks, filtered to a quality level of mineral water ("HomeSpring") to avoid use of town water. Such high quality water is available at every tap: Showers in all chalets with water reducers, half flush systems at all toilets and compost toilet in the Wellness Centre.

We installed a supertreat wastewater treatment plant to clean black and grey water for irrigation of gardens. We recycle waste to the possible maximum by using organic waste at our compost alley with 18 compost bins. We recycle: paper, cartons, bottles, tins, plastic and transport to a local recycling station. We have merely 1 waste bin for monthly garbage collection, sale or donation of unused items.

We adopt a purchase policy of minimum packaging by requesting suppliers to minimise their packaging and avoiding plastic bags in shops. We use natural building materials, paints etc. and avoid items of tropical timber. We have strict organic principles:

• Organic permaculture principles in the gardens (Demeter certification planned)
• Organic food & beverages for guests and own consumption
• Only eco cleaning materials such as Enjo and Ecostore in the whole resort
• Organic soaps, shampoos toothpaste and washing powder & liquids for guests and own use
• Use of biodynamic and natural (compost and manure) fertilisers - no chemical fertilisers and pesticides

We encourage wildlife with birds and insects by: Planting the appropriate flowers, bushes and trees, keeping the grass relatively long with wild flowers (also helps to keep moisture), maintaining two ponds with fish, mating frogs and ducks and avoiding dogs and cats as appropriate in a kiwi bird zone. Besides caring for the resort's gardens, we agreed to weed the surrounding Department of Conservation land around it's borders and replant native trees and bushes for the publics enjoyment and to avoid the DOC use of poisonous sprays.

We are actively striving for zero-carbon status for the resort as a better way to save the earth instead of paying for carbon offsetting. Unfortunately, certification is unaffordably expensive for a small property like this. We share our principles and experiences with guests and visitors to raise awareness and promote their following suit. This often continues by e-mail even after the guests' departure.

We have converted the diesel car to run on recycled fish & chip vegetable oil, we walk or bicycle when feasible, we avoid using air travel for holidays and we change guest linen & towels only when required – usually every 3 days.

Practices that financially benefit the local community:
We buy locally as much as possible (vegetable, fruit and other food). We give support to local businesses with purchases and contracts as well as through active membership of the Kerikeri District Business Association. We also support local tourist operators by giving advice to guests.

Our resort is basically owner operated. For the Wellness Centre we arrange local therapists as sub-contractors whenever required. For restaurant, housekeeping and gardens we engage part-time help when required for a high number of guests. For gardens we sometimes accept WWOOFERs (Willing Workers on Organic Farms - holiday program for mainly international students) to stay and eat free in return for a few hours of daily work.