Identifying opportunities for Southland food tourism

27 Aug 2020

Helping to share and capitalise on opportunities associated with Southland's unique food stories


In 2019 the Southland Murihiku Destination Strategy for 2019-2029 was developed as a blueprint for the future of the Southland region and its visitor economy. The Strategy identified key projects for the sustainable development of Southland, including the establishment of a regional Food Tourism Strategy.

To facilitate the development of this, Great South have engaged Eat New Zealand to consult with a wide range of representatives from Southland’s food industry to gain insights which will form the basis of the strategy. 

The focus on food tourism is based on the premise that our region is well known for its unique food, and the opportunity exists to explore how this can be developed to engage locals and attract visitors, linking them to producers and our iconic food stories.

As part of their consultation, Eat New Zealand is carrying out a Southland Food Tourism survey and will be hosting a series of workshops around the region focusing on learning more about Southland’s food industry and the opportunities that exist. At the end of this process,  Great South will be provided with an assessment of our iconic food stories and the areas of opportunity that exist to share our unique points of difference in this sector with potential visitors.  

Taking part in the survey

If you currently operate in the food tourism space or in the wider food industry, we would love to hear from you! A return flight to Rakiura/Stewart Island is up for grabs and will be drawn once the survey closes (no later than October 1, 2020). 

Take the survey