The luxury Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa on the shores of Lake Rotorua is officially open, after Prime Minister Chris Hipkins officially cut the tape this week.

Regional Development Minister Kiri Allan says she expects the tourism attraction will bring "thousands more" tourists to the region.

The opening follows a five year development with $52.21 million investment from the Government. The project employed up to 250 people through construction and supported a number of local businesses, according to Allan.

'This is one of the biggest developments in Rotorua in the last 20 years. It is the first major purpose-built spa and bathing facility since the original Rotorua bathhouse was built over 120 years ago,” she says.

Tourism Minister Peeni Henare says the tourism data released this week, which shows an estimated 220,000 international visitors will come to the region in 2023, Rotorua is well-placed to welcome international visitors back and tap into the trillion-dollar international ‘wellness tourism' market.

'Wellness tourism is a high-value visitor category, with total visitor spend on health and wellbeing over $1.7 m just this past April. ‘Relaxation and wellbeing' is on the top three reasons Kiwis travel to destinations outside of where they live," says Henare.

'The mineral waters of our geothermally rich regions have long been a feature of New Zealand that our visitors love.

'This is New Zealand's only spa owned by mana whenua and offers services that incorporate the long standing and unique Ngāti Whakaue practices and culture into their environment and services.

'A facility like this, combined with the manaakitanga provided by Ngāti Whakaue and the team onsite providing the services, is a tourism offering of significant potential value for the region.”

A spokesperson for the new attraction says the spa combines the region's healing geothermal waters with the centuries-old legacy of Ngāti Whakaue culture, healing practices and manaakitanga.

"Wai Ariki offers an authentic wellness and spa experience for manuhiri unlike any other spa in the world,” says the spokesperson.

Pukeroa Oruawhata Group deputy chairman David Tapsell says Wai Ariki is not only a unique development for Ngāti Whakaue and Rotorua, but also reclaims Aotearoa New Zealand's preeminent position on the global wellness stage.

'Wai Ariki is the living embodiment of the reason the geothermal city of Rotorua was first established. Since the 1800s, people have been visiting our city from all over the world to experience the region's healing geothermal waters.

'Wai Ariki continues that legacy, reclaiming Rotorua's title and re-positioning it as an international spa and wellness destination. Wai Ariki will be a game changer for our city, economy, tourism sector, community and our people,” he says.

'It has been a challenging journey to get to this point, to say the least, but to have opened our doors today and see our vision, conceived more than10 years ago, come to fruition, is phenomenal.

'We are proud to deliver a manuhiri experience that is tightly woven with who we are as Ngāti Whakaue and to be able share our unique heritage and manaakitanga with the world in this way. We are also extremely proud to deliver this for the benefit of our whānau, both now and into the future.”

'Wai Ariki is not only the most significant luxury spa development in Aotearoa New Zealand for more than 100 years, it is also one of only a handful of indigenous-owned operations in the world,” says the spokesperson.

Photo: Supplied.

'The 4,453 square metre development has surpassed many obstacles since first breaking ground in 2017, including Covid-19 lockdowns, supply issues and a changing economy. The luxury wellness spa now stands majestically amidst the newly redeveloped Rotorua lakefront.

'Elements of te ao Māori are infused throughout the development, including through the physical design of the building, its unique spa and wellness experiences and the development of its brand, created by Inia Maxwell of Ngāti Whakaue.”

Pukeroa chair Malcolm Short says there has been a deep focus on authenticity throughout Wai Ariki's development.

'Every element is founded on Ngāti Whakaue principles, practices and stories, reflecting the whakapapa (kinship) we have with the natural environment, from the heavens, to the water and the earth.

'These have come to define us through time. In particular, the hot and cold experiences – while delivering therapeutic benefits – draw on the story of our ancestor, Ngātoroirangi, who called on life-saving geothermal heat when he was close to perishing on the cold and ice of Mt Tongariro.”

The site has two main spa areas: Wai Whakaora (Restorative Journey) and Te Ahuru Mōwai | The Sanctuary – a premium space for bathing and spa treatments. There is also a café and gift shop.

Tapsell says the opening of Wai Ariki is just the beginning.

'This is just the start of our vision for a unique health and wellness precinct. Tourism and manaakitanga are part of the fabric of Rotorua, and who we are as Ngāti Whakaue. We will continue to build upon our strong foundations created with the opening of Wai Ariki, with exciting plans in the pipeline for the former QE Health site, which will be enveloped into the precinct.”

Wai Ariki has been developed by Pukeroa Oruawhata Group and will be managed by Belgravia Leisure, an Australasian spa and wellness provider with more than 30 years of experience in the industry.