Sustainable tourism

Both the tourism industry, and the visitors who underpin it, are becoming increasingly aware of the contribution we all play in the accelerating climate and biodiversity crises. The aviation sector that Aotearoa tourism heavily relies upon is a substantial driver of greenhouse gas emissions for the sector.

For our airline, the single biggest contribution we can make to this future is to decarbonise our operations. Air New Zealand's ambition and work towards its 2050 net zero carbon emissions target is key to this. We can also support Aotearoa's precious biodiversity.

Air New Zealand is committed to playing its part in making Aotearoa a world-class sustainable visitor destination, and recognises that genuine sustainable development outcomes are key to ensuring the long-term success of the industry.

We celebrate the many tourism businesses that continue to deliver outstanding experiences while giving back to their local communities and protecting the environment.

As part of our commitment to supporting operators who are contributing to Aotearoa New Zealand's success as a world-class visitor destination, we only feature Qualmark awarded New Zealand activities and attractions on airnewzealand.co.nz/activity-deals.

Find out more in the sustainable tourism section of our 2024 Annual Report.

Tiaki Promise

Tiaki – Care for New Zealand was created through a collective desire to share a connection to the natural world, inspiring and helping visitors who come here to travel safely and conscientiously.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, people have a strong connection to the place around them. Tangata whenua (people of this land) see nature as something intrinsically intertwined with their own lives. For Māori, every mountain, every river, and every living species has a story. These stories form part of their own identities and help to shape their place in the world.

Tiaki is an initiative that actively encourages international and domestic travellers to experience New Zealand in a way that keeps everyone safe, protects our environment, respects our culture and protects the country for future generations. 

To commit to travelling in this way is to take the Tiaki Promise.

Read more about the Tiaki Promise.

Air New Zealand is committed to helping support conservation and biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand.

One of the ways we can help is through our ongoing partnership with the Department of Conservation (DOC). We also recognise one-to-one partnerships will not be enough, and that collaboration between business, government, iwi and communities is critical to tackling these challenges.

We recognise te ao Māori as a foundation of Aotearoa New Zealand's heritage and a key element of Air New Zealand's culture. As the national carrier, we are in a unique position to embrace and share te ao Māori with New Zealanders and overseas visitors. We take pride in greeting our customers in te reo Māori and Air New Zealanders are committed to increasing their skills and usage of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori.

The 'Tohu Reo' pin, which acknowledges the wearer as a fluent te reo Māori speaker, is worn by speakers across the country and continues to be a highlight of our support for te reo Māori.

The airline also identifies ways in which tikanga Māori can add richness and value to our processes. New cabin crew intakes across our short haul, mid haul, and long haul fleets, along with family, celebrate their training graduation ceremony on the Te Mānukanuka o Hoturoa marae. This helps to emphasise our promise of Manaaki with our people and their whānau.

We have increased content promoting Māori culture, language, and success across information distribution channels such as the Kia Ora magazine, Inflight Entertainment, and domestic route screens. In partnership with NZ Māori Tourism, we have also created the Kia Rere app. The app has a range of interactive features including audio learning and the ability to create a mihimihi and share the user's journey in te reo Māori.

Kia Rere is available to download in the App Store and on Google Play.