The Ecotourism NZ Advisory Committee provides guidance to Ecotourism NZ its strategic plan and for the development of its services.  The committee supports Ecotourism NZ by coordinating with relevant industry associations, business and community leaders, and Crown departments and agencies.

Ecotourism NZ Advisory Committee members: 

Chair Ecotourism NZ
Hugh Canard
Director, Canard Consulting Limited
Hugh Canard is the Project Manager for the West Coast Major Regional Initiative (MRI), a portfolio of 15 tourism projects from the Heaphy Track in the north, to the Te Wahi Pounamu World heritage area in the south.   Hugh started his working career in the energy and construction industry and then entered the tourism industry as the owner of a sea kayaking business in the Abel Tasman National Park.  He has been a director and manager of accommodation businesses and a member of two RTO boards and three conservation boards.   Hugh worked for New Zealand Trade & Enterprise in the regional economic development team for three years, and is now a tourism and economic development consultant.

Joe Doherty
Maori business development consultant
Managing director, Te Urewera Treks
Joe identifies as Ngai Tuhoe, with iwi affiliations to Ngati Whare, Ngati Awa, and Ngati Kahungunu. Along with wife Jo, he owns Te Urewera Treks which offers guided walking treks in the remote wilderness regions of Te Urewera National Park, Whirinaki Forest Park and in Maori-owned indigenous forests in Te Urewera. His aim is to use the indigenous forest assets of Tuhoe to create full-time sustainable jobs for locals.

The couple also own Kitea Developments, a company they established to support Maori and bicultural development and focusing on strategic business planning and marketing and communications.  The company is currently involved in a four-year research project with Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research - Te Tapoitanga Maori Growing Regional Maori Tourism. The report looks at the barriers and opportunities for Maori tourism operators in the international distribution chain.

Robyn Henderson
Policy Manager, Ministry of Tourism
Robyn Henderson manages a team of policy advisers at the Ministry of Tourism, who focus on a range of issues relating to growing tourism’s contribution to New Zealand’s economy. She joined the Ministry in 2006 and was involved in the Sustainable Tourism Charter programme, the Tourism on Conservation Lands Forum, and work with the Department of Conservation on limited supply concession issues.  She previously worked at the Ministry of Economic Development (2003-2006) on reducing the regulatory impact on business, and spent a number of years working in research roles in the UK and Singapore.

Anna Thompson
Senior Lecturer, University of Otago
Anna Thompson (Carr) is a senior lecturer at the University of Otago where she is co-director of the Centre for Recreation Research.  She has Nga Puhi, Ngati Ruanui and Scottish/Irish ancestry.  She lived her first 18 years at Tongariro National Park (Whakapapa village), then worked at Egmont, Tongariro and Aoraki/Mt Cook National Parks.  She has been co-owner/operator of two adventure tourism companies (Southern Alps Guiding 1989-1993 and Wild Earth Adventures 1995 - 2002).  Anna is a director of Te Ana Whakairo (Ngai Tahu Maori Rock Art Centre Trust) and an Otago trust member of Te Araroa (The Long Pathway) Trust.  She has been involved in national and international ecotourism research projects since 1998.