This Info Pack has been designed to help educators plan and coordinate field trips to Bay of Plenty, for students focusing on key aspects of Tourism or Hospitality in their studies. Information has been provided about available and discounted accommodation and food options for groups, as well as interactive sessions at operational business and activity sites. Sessions include a combination of talks from industry professionals, on current and relevant business and tourism topics, as well as discounted activity options, for those looking to combine practical learning opportunities with time spent in an operational environment. More information on Education and Training options in your region can be found at www.tourism.net.nz

Activity And Talk Options

The Cave Papamoa 

The Cave takes education to the next level with immersive and interactive Virtual Reality experiences. Virtual Reality can improve education by providing students with memorable and engaging experiences that would otherwise not be possible. VR is accessible to every student and can be easily monitored by teachers. Virtual experiences have the power to inspire students in a unique and powerful way.

Activity Options: VR Experience. Max 12 per time slot.

Talk Topics: The Cave can provide Virtual experiences for a wide variety of themes & topics, including:

• Geography: enabling students to travel to almost any place in the world- saving time and money with experiences that would not be possible or practical in real life. + more
• History: Experience the tragic journey of the Titanic as one of the passengers, Witness first-hand the first nuclear bomb test, Explore Chernobyl and find clues to why this fateful day occurred, Experience the moon-landing as one of the astronauts in the Apollo 11 space mission + more
• Art: Explore humanity's first masterpiece deep within the Chauvet Cave, Create 3d art and sculptures, Get close & personal with Mona Lisa + more
• Science: Journey inside a human body and enter some of the billions of cells living inside us, test your engineering, mechanical and electrical skills in state of the art virtual laboratories and workshops + more
• Literature: Find yourself in the shoes of Alice as she explores Wonderland, immerse yourself in story-driven cinematic experiences + more

Timings: 1- 2 hours is a standard session

Location: Papamoa: 7/16 Ashley Place, Papamoa Beach, Papamoa

Opening Hours: 10am-8pm, Wed-Sun

Contact: [email protected] / 0800 228 369

Cost: From $30pp/hr

Other: Please visit The Cave's education page for more info  (www.thecave.nz/vr-learning)

The Elms

The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga offers an educational programme that is both stimulating and rewarding, providing multiple opportunities for hands-on and interactive learning. Their programme is cross-curricular with activities that include science, physical education, technology, maths and Māori language.

For over 70 years, school groups have visited The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga. Today, they provide educational services to schools across the region, offering a programme that is engaging and includes multiple opportunities for hands-on and interactive learning.

Activity Options:

• A 20-minute PowerPoint presentation – our captioned sketches, paintings and photos introduce students to The Elms before they tour the site. Younger students would enjoy a class reading of our illustrated book, ‘The Missionaries Came to Tauranga’ (cross-curricular)
• The House guided tour (social sciences/history component)
• The Library guided tour (social sciences/history component)
• Medicinal and Food Plants – a walk around the garden discussing our trees and plantings and their uses. This activity includes six of the plants Māori brought to Aotearoa during their migration (social sciences and science components)
• Sketching the House – we provide 2B, 3B and 4B pencils, rubbers and paper, or bring your own sketchbooks (social sciences and art components)
• Coach House activity where students work in pairs to find and discuss historic objects (social sciences and technology components)
• The Elms Timeline. Students order a selection of old/new paintings, sketches and photos (social sciences curriculum component)
• Games of the 1800s – including croquet, quoits, knucklebones, skipping ropes, marbles, pitches, pick up sticks and bean bags (social sciences, technology and physical education components)
• Writing with a Quill, Nibbed Pen and Waxed Crayons – this is how Archdeacon Brown wrote his diaries, letters and journals. A small group activity in our Fencible Cottage for up to ten of your students at a time (visual arts, social sciences and technology components)
• TECT Heritage Garden – our new garden and whare, Tāne-nui-a-Rangi, with its beautiful carvings, intertwines missionary and mana whenua, Ngāi Tamarāwaho and Ngāti Tapu, highlighting the plants grown here in the 1800s (cross-curricular)

Timings: Each activity takes 15 to 20 minutes depending on the age of your students and the time you have available. We require 40 minutes for a full class Games activity.

Alternatively, you can choose an hour-long house, library and heritage site tour for your students. This is better suited to older students where our experienced Guides will cover the early mission days and the site’s connection to the battles of Pukehinahina/Gate Pa and Te Ranga.

Location: 15 Mission Street, Tauranga

Opening Hours:: 10am-4pm

Contact: Rose Solly -[email protected] / 07 577 9772

P/P Cost: They charge a fee to cover the costs of coordinating the programme. The cost of our programme is $2 per student with teachers and parents free of charge.

Other: Every group must have a ratio of at least one adult per ten students

Mount Hot Pools

Total relaxation at the heart of Mount Maunganui, at the base of Mauao, surrounded by walking tracks, golden beaches and cafes. Beneath the majesty of Mauao relax and unwind in the only hot ocean water complex in the world! Enjoy the healing properties of bathing in heated saltwater. Open since the 1950s, the Mount Hot Pools has become an iconic venue in the sunny Bay of Plenty.

Activity Options:

5 outdoor, Heated Ocean Water Pools:

• Hydrotherapy Pool = 32 degrees
• Relaxation Pool = 39 degrees
• 2 x Spa Pools = 40 degrees
• Children's pool = 34 degrees

Timings:1 hr is the recommended minimum time but groups are welcome for as long as you are keen to stay!

Location: 9 Adams Ave, Mount Maunganui

Opening Hours: 7am – 10pm, Mon – Sat. 8am – 10pm, Sun and Public Holidays

Contact: [email protected] / 07 577 8551

Cost: Adult $19 / Child $12.50

Other: The Mount Hot Pools are part of the Trip Advisor Hall of Fame with over 8 years of excellence and hold both the National Poolsafe Award and Qualmark Gold certification

Tourism Bay of Plenty

Tourism Bay of Plenty was established in April 2002 to promote the Coastal Bay of Plenty as a visitor destination. It is one of 30 regional tourism organisations (RTOs) in New Zealand, responsible for destination marketing. The role of RTOs was expanded in 2018 to encompass destination management, which is at the forefront of global thinking in the tourism industry. As both an RTO and Destination Management Organisation (DMO), Tourism Bay of Plenty endeavour to take a strategic approach that facilitates regenerative growth of the tourism sector for the benefit of visitors, residents, businesses and other groups.

Talk Topics:

• Tourism in Bay of Plenty and Aotearoa New Zealand
• Who we are and what we do
• Destination Management
• Trade marketing
• Business and product development
• Marketing, communications and media
• Regenerative Tourism

Timings: 15-30min talk and Q&A

Location: 8 Wharf Street, Tauranga

Opening Hours: 8.30am - 5pm, Monday to Friday

Contact: Loretta Crawford; Head of Destination Marketing - [email protected] / 07 577 6234

Cost: FOC

Waimarino Education Trust

When Waimarino Group was founded in 1975, it was with the vision of setting up a place where people of all ages can come to kayak. This has slowly evolved to be able to offer a large variety of EOTC programmes to students during school times. Maybe that is for an end of term day out full of adventure or an educational programme to ensure they complete their courses! Waimarino offer a variety of different programmes for children ages 5-17 years, whether that is an introduction to basic kayaking skills, team building and leadership activities or a day learning white water skills to use in years to come. The Waimarino instructors are all fully qualified and are dedicated to giving the students opportunities that can help them further their career in the outdoor industry.

Activity Options and Talk Topics:

Flat Water Kayak Programme

• How to get into outdoor instructing
• Career paths of instructors
• Seasonal work
• What skill sets are involved in the job: eg people/group management/safety awareness/hard skills
• This programme gives your group a true river journey experience on the Wairoa River. Launching from the Omanawa River, you are guided along a 7.5km scenic flat-water paddle back to Waimarino Adventure Park. Stopping en route to enjoy lunch by the river before engaging in team-building challenges that require interdependence, problem-solving skills, decision making, leadership and co-operation.

Glow Worm Tour

• Tourism
• Gaining local knowledge
• Looking after clients
• Skill sets involved: people skills, group management, hard skills
• Paddle together into a Glow Worm canyon to view the incredible constellations while floating through the canyon in complete darkness. The group will learn about the life cycle and biological environment of the fascinating New Zealand Fungus Gnat.

Timings:

• Flat Water Kayak Programme: 9am -2.30pm
• Glow Worm Tour: determined by sunset (2hr duration)

Location:

• Flat Water Kayak Progamme: Waimarino Water & Adventure Park, Tauranga
• Glow Worm Tour: McLaren Falls Park, Tauranga

Opening Hours: Mon-Fri (hours differ depending on the programme). Sat-Sun, 10am-6pm

Contact: Gemma Singleton; Schools Administrator - [email protected]

Cost:

• Flat Water Kayak Programme: $40/student (min 10 pax)
• Glow Worm Tour:$44/student (min 10 - max 30 pax)

Other: They offer a range of additional school programmes. Email Gemma to find out more.

Bus Hire NZ

Bus Hire provides a full range of services for educational institutions such as Schools, Colleges and Universities. Whether you are looking to organise local travel for your group or are thinking about something further afield, Bus Hire will work hard to fit their services into the constraints of school and educational budgets, while still providing excellent levels of comfort and safety to students, teachers or parents. As a New Zealand owned company they are proud to offer low-cost coach charter, bus charter and minibus hire services specifically tailored for education purposes,

Activity Options: Knowing that your transportation for your next school excursion is taken care of will be a weight off your mind. BusHire.co.nz guarantee that everyone will arrive on time and refreshed, ready to absorb the event that you have organised. Whether you are staying local or plan to travel interstate, they have a range of vehicles to suit any requirement or budget.

Location: Fleet available anywhere in Tauranga with additional offerings in Hamilton, Auckland and Wellington

Contact: [email protected] / 0800 661 236

Cost: Bus Hire offer a lowest price guarantee but please call or use their website to get an instant online quote based on your specific requirements

Other: Bus Hire NZ have Mini Buses (7-24 seats) and Coaches and Buses (24-69 seats)

BayStation

BayStation is the perfect venue for furthering education outside the classroom or blowing off steam at the end of a busy term! They are a home-grown kiwi business utilizing local innovation to provide an epic experience to all.

Activity Options:

• Blokarts: Students will love the thrill of sailing Blokarts in a strong sea breeze while experimenting with different wind and sail dynamics.
• Drift Trikes: Mastering the Drift Trikes is a test in itself - can students find the right balance of speed and control for that perfect drift?
• Paintball and Laser Tag: Look no further for a team-building challenge that everyone will love! Whether it's strategic Laser Tag or competitive paintball, there's no better way to get students working as a team.

Location: 81 Truman Lane, Mount Maunganui

Opening hours: 7 days a week 10am-6:30pm

Contact: [email protected] / 07 577 8599

Cost: BayStation can cater to a range of group sizes and have risk management strategies available on request. Please contact them for pricing and to tailor a package for your school group.

Mataatua Wharenui

Nau mai, haere mai. Welcome to Mataatua Wharenui, the fully carved Māori ancestral house of the Ngāti Awa people that travelled the world for over a century and then came home.

Activity Options: A visit to Mataatua Wharenui is an enriching experience for all ages. Expand your student's understanding of Māori culture and Ngāti Awa history with a fully-guided experience that will introduce them to ancestors, customs, culture, the Māori people of Mataatua - the descendants of those who arrived from central Polynesia in the ‘main migration’ of circa-1350, and the people they found here: the original inhabitants of Aotearoa New Zealand - in the sacred setting of the house that came home.

Location:Mataatua Te Mānuka Tūtahi, 105 Muriwai Drive, Whakatāne 3120

Opening Hours:

• April – November: 9am – 2pm, Mon – Sun
• December – March: 9am – 4pm, Mon – Sun

Contact:[email protected] / 07 308 4271

Food Options

Julian's Berry Farm and Café

Menu: Blackboard / Cabinet food. A unique experience and regarded as one of NZ's hidden treasures. Something for everyone at this award-winning attraction

Best For: Lunch and Berries - pick your own or grab ready picked.

Location: 12 Huna Rd, City, Whakatane

Opening Hours: 8am - 5pm, daily. The Berry Farm and Cafe are seasonal and open in September

Contact: Monica - 027 208 4284 / [email protected]

Cost: Cabinet food and sandwiches from $6.50. Main meal options are also available

Other: Julian's also offer berry ice cream, jams and a cafe with a range of food options. There is a large playground and small animal farm free of charge. Tuck into a hot meal or relax with a cup of coffee and fresh berry baking in the beautiful, sheltered child-friendly café overlooking the berry fields.

Barrio Brothers

Menu: Mexican. Barrio meaning neighbourhood in Spanish focuses on the love of food, life and the joy of a meal shared.

Best For: Dinner

Location:105 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui and 107 Grey Street, Tauranga

Opening Hours: From 4.30pm daily. Closed on Monday. From 12pm weekends (Mount Maunganui only)

Contact:

• Tauranga: 07 578 8363 / [email protected]
• Mount Manganui: 07 574 9447 / [email protected]

Cost: Most mains $20 - $30

Other: Daily deals at both the Mount and Tauranga restaurants. Don’t miss out on Barrio Brothers' 2-4-1 Main Meal Wednesday. They also offer catering options able to be taken offsite.

Pizza Library

Menu: The Pizza Library offers hand-crafted gourmet pizzas with keto, gluten-free and additional side options available.

Best for: Dine-in/takeaway dinner

Location: 314 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui

Opening Hours: Open daily, 4pm – 9pm

Contact :

• The Mount: 07 574 2928
• Papamoa: 07 542 0058

Cost: Pizza from $18. Start the week off with the Mad Monday $10 Pizza Deal

Accommodation Options

Ohope Top 10 Holiday Park

The holiday park is situated on the beautiful shores of Ohope Beach and Ohiwa Harbour, an area long since known for it's plentiful sunshine, the ocean beach and an unbroken 11km of sand is enhanced by a breathtaking view out to White Island (Whakaari) and Whale Island (Moutohora), with sweeping views out towards the East Cape. The Park are fortunate to have as neighbours not only the maritime aspect, complete with slip-way and jetty and the Ohope International Golf Course, bird sanctuary and Tauwhare Pa Site.

Accommodation Type: The Park have a bed for every budget from luxurious 5-star beachfront apartments with stunning views over Ohope Beach, 4-star motels, self-contained units, kitchen cabins, standard cabins or one of 400 tent sites.

Location:367 Harbour Road, Ohope

Contact: 0800 264 673 / [email protected]

Cost:

• High season (Dec - Feb) Adult $25.5 - $330.
• Low season (May - Dec) $21 - $210

Wanderlust NZ

With a downtown location, epic views and many years of experience hosting groups of all sorts and sizes, Wanderlust can accommodate your group. They have a dedicated large-group area that can be hired out exclusively with private access for just your group, it's separated from the rest of the building. You will have your own TV room, a large spacious kitchen and dining area with the best harbour views in town, bathrooms and unlimited FREE high-speed Wi-Fi.

Accommodation Type: The Group area, Moana Views, has two 12 bed dorms with amazing sea views and a 6 bed dorm with two large historic sash windows. More backpacker style rooms can be occupied from the main hostel area if your booking is larger than 30 people or if you are wanting some private rooms

Location: Wanderlust NZ, 105 The Strand, Tauranga, 3110

Contact: 07 262 0027 /[email protected] for Group Booking Enquiries.

Cost: Please enquire about current rates and group deals. Continental breakfast can also be provided.

Pacific Coast Lodge and Backpackers

Pacific Coast Lodge and Backpackers is a 4-star Qualmark backpackers with a range of accommodation options to suit different needs and budgets. Centrally located in Mount Maunganui, next to Blake Park, they aim to offer a chilled beach vibe with comfortable facilities.

Accommodation Type: Dorm and private rooms

Location:432 Maunganui Rd, Mt Maunganui, NZ

Contact:07 574 9601 or use their quick booking enquiry form to request a quote for your group stay

Cost: Please enquire about current rates and group deals. Facilities include communal bathroom facilities, games room, TV lounge. Only a short walk to the beach. They can also supply a continental breakfast on request.