FORUM 2025 SCHEDULE

WHEN

WHAT

Conference Session – Day 1
Theme: Bold Ambition and Innovation

Contributors
Jolanda Cave, General Manager Tourism – Ngāi Tahu Tourism
Mat Woods, Chief Executive – Destination Queenstown
Michelle Morss, General Manager, Strategy and Policy – Queenstown Lakes District Council
Ross Copland, Chief Executive Officer & Jenna Adamson, Director – Southern Infrastructure Ltd.

Hear how collaboration between the tourism board and municipality has led to bold ambition on climate action, innovation and regeneration and exciting possibilities for electric transportation that address congestion.
Learn how Ngāi Tahu values are leading towards a 1,000-year vision, and in turn, driving innovation.

Immersive Tour

Forest Orchard Lodge
See how the world’s first electric farm is saving money and commanding premium value through fully electric operations. See the solar panels and battery banks that are creating new revenue streams and the myriad of innovations that support operations. You might even be able to drive one of the world’s first electric tractors!
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Evening Event: Tour and Dinner

Lake Hāwea Station
Learn how a 10,000-acre sheep station is 2x climate positive, (with aspirations to become 10x!), offering exquisite tourism accommodation and commanding premium prices for climate-positive wool.
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WHEN

WHAT

Conference Session – Day 2
Theme: Tourism & Environmental Restoration

Contributors
Michael Rewi, Chief Executive Officer – Mana Tāhuna Charitable Trust
Ash Bickley, Community Fund Co-ordinator – Love Queenstown
Michael Sly, Founder – Waste to Wilderness

Learn how the Love Wānaka and Love Queenstown Community Funds were created, and how they are working to accelerate local environmental action through industry and visitor engagement, alongside organisations like Mana Tāhuna Charitable Trust. Understand how Waste to Wilderness is diverting 80% of Queenstown’s hotel and large-scale visitor industry food waste from landfill to nutrient-rich, community compost.

Immersive Tour

TSS Earnslaw Lake Cruise and Walter Peak Tour
Presentation and tour from Ewan Mackie, Ski Area Manager & Sustainability Lead – Treble Cone/Cardrona Alpine Resort. Hear how Treble Cone/Cardrona Alpine Resort, Walter Peak, and their parent company, RealNZ, have carefully recognized the community’s values and commitment to regenerate the land.
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WHEN

WHAT

Conference Session – Day 3
Theme: Leading Sustainability – At Queenstown Airport and throughout the Destination

Contributors
Sara Irvine, General Manager Sustainability & Corporate Affairs – Queenstown Airport
Dr. Stephen Batstone, Director – Whitestone Energy and Advisor to Rewiring Aotearoa
Monique Kelly, former UN lawyer and Founder – WAO

Learn how WAO has built community-wide support for the transition to sustainability, how high-profile initiatives like Electrify Queenstown and the Queenstown Electrification Accelerator are accelerating adoption, and how sustainability efforts have positioned Queenstown Airport as a leader in the field.

Immersive Tour

Ziptrek Ecotours
Discover a tourism experience that has been a long-standing pioneer in sustainability, and see how they seize the opportunity to educate visitors on environmental awareness and actions.
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Evening Event: Tour and Dinner

The Headwaters Eco Lodge
Tour a world class example of a regenerative, transparent business model that considers beauty, energy, equity, materials, place water and health & happiness, and is giving back to the local community and the wider world, operated in line with the Living Building Challenge (the most stringent environmental building design certification in the world).
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WHEN

WHAT

Conference Session – Day 4
Theme: From Inspiration to Action

Contributors
Rod Drury, Founder of Xero, leading innovation in tourism
Bill Nicoll, Resilience & Climate Action Manager – Queenstown Lakes District Council
Mike Casey, Chief Executive Officer – Rewiring Aotearoa
Dr. Chris Allington, Chief Executive Officer, Whoosh

Hear about leading a movement towards renewables and electrification throughout New Zealand, as well as Rod Drury’s investments in electric wakesurfing boats, electric marina charging, electric autonomous buses, increasing electricity supply and electric gondola transportation.

From inspiration to action; how can we accelerate action in our communities and take inspiration to accelerate innovation and sustainability in our own communities?