Kia Ora Koutou
ki nga whenua o te Ao, ki nga hau e wha
Nau Mai, Haere Mai.

Greetings to All
To the (people of) all lands, to the (people) of the four winds
Welcome, welcome.

More than a 130 years ago local Maori, the tangata whenua - the original people of the land, began guiding visitors through the Central Plateau region of Aotearoa New Zealand . The attraction for their manuhiri ( visitors) were the snow-capped peaks of Mounts Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngaruahoe, the crystal clear waters of the awa ( rivers) that run into the Great Lake of Taupo, the vast wooded ngahere ( forests), and the geothermal hot spots ( ngawhai) at Tokaanu, Wairakei, Mokai and Orakei Korako.

Maori of that time were only too happy to share their traditional taonga ( treasures) with those who had travelled from the four corners of the world to experience the scenic delights in the land known as the Remotest Interior - a willingness to share and a hospitality borne of the spirit of manaaki tanga ( caring for visitors).

Today a new generation of Maori are leading visitors through the Central Region of the North Island - Te Ika a Maui . They are forest, rafting and fishing guides, entertainers, marae hosts and transport operators. And they are the members of Central North Island Maori Tourism (Te Roopu Tapoi Maori O Te Puku O Te Ika A Maui).

Central North Island Maori Tourism embraces the wider Central North Island covering the Greater Lake Taupo, Ruapehu, Waitomo. There are also tourism members from other regions. It is a collective of Maori tourism operators and businesses.

The CNIMT is a recognised Regional Maori Tourism Group (MRTG) and is a member of the New Zealand Tourism Industry Association and the allied Inbound Tour Operators Council.