Overview:

GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL – Kaitiaki is a call to care for the place that gives us so much. Rooted in the values of kaitiakitanga, this initiative encourages everyone, visitors, locals, and businesses, to come together to protect and restore the land, sea, and communities of Hauraki Coromandel.

By supporting local efforts like tree planting and predator control, you're helping to safeguard native biodiversity and ensure that future generations can experience the beauty, mana, and richness of this region. It’s about recognising that Hauraki Coromandel is more than just a destination, it’s a living, breathing taonga.

To help turn good intentions into tangible action, Destination Hauraki Coromandel has built a platform that connects contributors with grassroots conservation projects. Through a simple donation, anyone can support meaningful, local impact, making it easy for businesses and travellers to give back in a way that truly matters.

Whether you’re planting a tree, volunteering time, or simply sharing the kaupapa, every small action contributes to a stronger, more resilient environment. Together, we can protect what makes this place so Good for Your Soul.

Results 2025:

In its first year, GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL – Kaitiaki has had an incredibly positive response from operators locals and visitors. We’re excited to see the tangible action this programme is bringing, connecting people with nature, community, and the future of Hauraki Coromandel.

  • 1,264 native trees donated, to be planted over the next couple of months across 16 planting sites around the Hauraki Coromandel.
  • 40 businesses have joined the programme  - check out the leaderboard
  • 17 planting sites managed by either community groups or tourism businesses have been set up throughout Hauraki Coromandel - check them all out
  • Visitors from 17 countries chose to give back to the place they experienced, including donations from NZ, Australia, Canada, the UK, USA, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Spain, France, China, Thailand and Rarotonga - view the world map
  • $1,264 was contributed to Predator Free Hauraki Coromandel to support our biodiversity ($1 from every tree).
  • An approved environmental partner with 1% for the planet
  • We’re proud to have the Good for Your Soul – Kaitiaki initiative included as part of the World Tourism Day Solutions, an online conference hosted by Destination Think that showcases global examples of regenerative tourism in action. 

As part of the ongoing marketing for the GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL – Kaitiaki initiative, we set out to develop a tohu that could be used by those collaborating on the project, one that would connect deeply with, and speak directly to, the concept of kaitiakitanga in Hauraki. To support this process, we partnered with Creative Coromandel, who introduced us to Bridgette from KouKou Creatives. Bridgette worked with us to design a tohu for this mahi, a symbol representing the taniwha Ureia, a revered Kaitiaki of Hauraki Coromandel. Find out more

This first year has been a chance to set strong foundations, to build trust, test the system, build momentum and create stories worth sharing. The trees planted now will grow alongside the kaupapa itself, helping to ensure Hauraki Coromandel remains good for your soul for generations to come.

Industry Engagement:

PR Placements: