Hamilton & Waikato Tourism Membership Programme 2026/2027

Industry
Partner with us
HWT membership

We are pleased to offer our 2026-2027 Membership programme designed to connect operators with potential visitors and support the growth of the Waikato region. Members will gain a range of benefits, including elevated exposure through our marketing channels and activities, access to Member only resources and networking opportunities.

Primary objectives of the Membership programme are to

provide a destination management approach to marketing the region, focusing on the quality of the overall visitor experience and targeted marketing efforts effectively
streamline collaboration between Hamilton & Waikato Tourism (HWT) and the tourism industry
strengthen industry connections and capability

Why become an HWT member?

Your Membership with HWT is an investment in the growth of your business and the region as a whole. By joining our Membership programme, you'll gain access to a range of benefits supporting your visibility, connecting you with regional activity, and contributing to the strength of the wider Waikato tourism industry.

How Membership supports your business

Increased visibility: benefit from elevated placement on our website and in our marketing material, ensuring your business is seen by a wider audience with our website attracting over 1.5 million views each year.
Marketing opportunities: access to joint venture opportunities, partnerships, and industry activities delivered or led by HWT.
Industry insights and support: Access to valuable tourism data, information, insights, and support from the HWT team.
Networking opportunities: Connect with like-minded tourism professionals, share best practices, and build strong relationships and collaborations within the industry.
Capability building: Discounted and special offerings as along with access to exclusive educational online resources.

Supporting the Waikato tourism industry

Contribute to regional growth: Your Membership supports our efforts to promote the mighty Waikato as a tourism destination, driving economic growth and job creation.
Enhance the visitor experience: Support us to help create exceptional visitor experiences that leave a lasting positive impression.
Champion sustainability: join us in our commitment to responsible tourism practices aligned with the region’s Destination Management Plan.
Shape the future: Influence tourism policies and initiatives through your involvement in industry forums and discussions. Together, we are building a visitor sector keeping our region strong and our stories alive.
Government funded opportunities: As we’ve seen, Government funding towards tourism is typically provided through RTOs. Membership ensures your business can be included in activity linked to this funding where relevant.

Specific benefits for HWT members only

Priority access to opportunities: You’ll be first to receive new marketing opportunities and have early access to register for our events
Professional development: Enhance your skills and knowledge through capability building opportunities. A mix of exclusive Member only, and discount ticketed HWT events
Presence across HWT channels: You’ll have an upweighted listing on our website and feature on waikatonz.com home page on a rotational/shared basis. You’ll be included in HWT social media, content and/or newsletter activity, with opportunities for individual features where relevant to campaigns and content.
Access to one-on-one support: One-on-one support with the HWT team, including general business, marketing and digital marketing support.
Member Portal: Exclusive access to business tools and guides, reports, and other resources not available to the wider industry.
Data insights: Valuable data and analytics to help understand your target markets, benchmark your performance, and keep up to date on regional movements. Regularly updated information regarding achievement towards our Shareholder and Council-approved Key Performance Indicators. All this can be found in the Member Portal.
Famil hosting: Members will have priority for inclusion in famil hosting opportunities when appropriate across travel trade, domestic and international media, and business events activities
Media activity: Members are prioritised for inclusion in media pitches and coverage opportunities where relevant.
Representation at industry events: Our team prioritises your visitor/venue offering at domestic and Australian industry exhibition events, ie: MEETINGS, eXplore Show, AIME, IBO/RTO Day, TRENZ, Kiwi North Australia
Member to Member Deals: Access to exclusive Member to Member offers through the Member Portal, providing staff opportunities to experience tourism products across the region, supporting engagement, product knowledge and retention.

NEW BENEFIT this year – brochure stand at Hamilton Airport:

We have a brochure stand inside the terminal at Hamilton Airport and we’re extending an offer to display brochures free of charge for our Members only. You provide the DLE brochures, and we’ll ensure the display stand is filled and ready for our visitor arrivals through the airport.

Annual Membership Fee (excl. GST)

With guidance from our Industry Advisory Group, to ensure our Membership fees remain relevant with inflation, the Membership fees are adjusted by CPI each year, and rounded.

1-10 employees

$1,580

11-50 employees

$3,160

51+ employees

$5,260

Joint venture opportunities provided to HWT members (excl. GST)

Joint venture opportunities are available for Members only and include activities such as being featured in our marketing campaigns and participating in business events activities, ie: event bid inclusion and jointly hosted buyer events these additional JV opportunities are not covered by the annual membership fee.

Domestic marketing activities (i.e. domestic marketing campaigns, media campaigns): $5,260 pa
Business events activities (i.e. joint famil hosting, inclusion in bids): $3,160 pa
Attendance with regional representation at Travel/BE Trade Shows is offered to Members only. Price will depend on the event and component costs: $POA
Additional Australian market activities where JV approach is deemed appropriate – will only be offered to Members: $POA
Regional print features ie magazine editorials: $POA
Photography / videography / social media content creator – opportunities will be offered to Members first: $POA

Membership-LITE

A limited Membership-LITE option is available for selected hospitality and bed-and-breakfast operators. This provides a lower-cost option to be included in HWT digital and marketing activity.

Membership-LITE: $530 per annum + GST (Limited to 15 operators, ensuring regional spread)

Benefits provided on the Membership-LITE model

Digital presence and activities
- upweighted/enhanced listing on our website waikatonz.com
- feature on waikatonz.com homepage or campaign landing pages on a rotational/shared basis
- inclusion in HWT social media and content activity
Access to the HWT Member-LITE Portal on our website, which provides additional tools and information not available to the general industry.
Access to specific Member only events.

As Membership-LITE is a ‘lighter’ offering, you will not have access to the full Member Portal content, access to the additional Joint Venture opportunities nor access to the brochure stand at Hamilton Airport. If these are of interest, we recommend considering full Membership.

Booking Deadline: 24 July 2026

Please note this membership programme is only available to businesses and tourism operators operating within the Hamilton & Waikato Tourism RTO boundaries. For full Terms & Conditions please click here

By becoming a Member of HWT, you're not just investing in your business; you're investing in the future of your region. Let's work together to create an even more vibrant and successful tourism industry for many generations to come.