Arawai is committed to a path of sustainable development.  The company’s values are based on key tenets of Maori culture:

1. manaakitanga: nurturing relationships, looking after people and being very careful about how others are treated is a key component of Māori culture. The principles and values attached to it underpin all tikanga Māori.  Manaakitanga focuses on positive human behaviour, the nurturing of relationships and respecting the mana of other people no matter what their standing in society may be.  Being hospitable and looking after visitors is given high priority.
   

2. kaitiakitanga: (interpreted in the modern sense as) guardianship, protection of the environment based in alignment with the natural world.
   

3. kotahitanga: being united in a common purpose
   

Arawai’s policies and practices have been influenced by, and have been developed to be consistent with:

1. the World Tourism Organization’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
   

2. the principles of the International Cultural Tourism Charter established by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
   

3. the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015, and
   

4. the Code of Ethics of the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand.
   

Arawai’s operation is grounded in the “geotourism” approach embodied in the Geotourism Charter developed by the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations.  Geotourism is defined as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place - its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.   Click here for more information.

Key elements of Arawai’s path towards sustainable operations include (but are not limited to):

1. Employing local staff, and offering tourism work-experience to students
   

2. Developing joint products with other local operators and promoting local attractions
   

3. Choice of right-sized, fuel efficient, four stroke motor for manoeuvring the waka
   

4. Managing and minimising wastewater discharges through: encouragement of passengers to use shore-based toilets; installation of marine toilet with holding tank on the waka; and observation of proper disposal procedures
   

5. Encouragement of passengers and crew to ensure no debris/litter goes overboard
   

6. Separation of waste and use of the recycling system at our berth.