A collaboration between the grassroots boating sector and the hospitality industry has been announced in Aotearoa, with Yachting New Zealand and Hospitality New Zealand jointly launching a 12-month pilot programme designed to help affiliated clubs build stronger, more sustainable hospitality operations.
Ten clubs from across the country have been chosen to take part, selected with a deliberate eye on regional diversity, capturing a wide range of club sizes, locations, and operating models. The participating clubs are Kerikeri Cruising Club, Gulf Harbour Yacht Club, Bucklands Beach Yacht Club, Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club, Napier Sailing Club, Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, Waikawa Boating Club, Nelson Yacht Club, Pleasant Point Yacht Club, and Charteris Bay Yacht Club.
The programme emerged from growing demand within the club network for practical support around food and beverage offerings and positioning clubs more effectively as community hospitality venues. Each participating club will receive structured assistance targeting workforce capability, licensing, HR, and the commercial foundations needed for long-term viability. Through the partnership, clubs gain full access to Hospitality New Zealand's service suite, including workforce training delivered via the Typsy platform, licensing guidance, HR support, and access to legal advice and mediation where required.
Yachting New Zealand Chief Executive Steve Armitage said the initiative was shaped directly by feedback from clubs around the country, and that the strong response to the call for participation reflected both the appetite and the need for this kind of support.
"We received a high level of interest from clubs throughout the country, which reflects both the opportunity and the need in this space," Armitage said. "This pilot allows us to test a targeted approach, working alongside Hospitality New Zealand to provide clubs with the tools, advice and support they need to strengthen their hospitality offering."
Armitage was clear that simply handing over resources was never the point. "It's important that clubs are not just given resources, but are supported to apply them in a way that delivers real value on the ground," he said.
Hospitality New Zealand Chief Executive Kristy Phillips said each club would be assigned a regional manager as their primary point of contact within the first month of joining the programme. She acknowledged that while clubs serve an important role in community life, many are operating under real pressure.
"Hospitality venues, yacht clubs and boating clubs all play a vital role as places where people gather, connect and feel part of a community. But we also know many venues are operating in a challenging environment," Phillips said. "This partnership with Yachting New Zealand will help strengthen these community connections while supporting selected clubs to improve their hospitality operations. We look forward to working alongside each club and providing practical, ongoing advice and support."
For Nelson Yacht Club, the announcement came at a particularly welcome moment. The club has spent the past two years working through costly seismic strengthening, and attention has now turned to recovering financially from that investment. Manager Tim Fraser-Harris described the selection as a positive development for a club with considerable untapped potential on the Nelson waterfront.
"We are delighted to have been selected for the pilot. We have an exceptionally fortunate position on the Nelson waterfront and are looking to increase community use of the Aurora Lounge, our newly refurbished venue and function room," Fraser-Harris said. "With cost increases across the board, growing our venue hire income will be key to rebuilding our finances following the seismic work and ensuring the club's long-term sustainability. We are excited to embark on this journey with Hospitality New Zealand and look forward to seeing where it takes us."
The pilot will be closely monitored throughout its duration, with Armitage signalling that a proven result could open the door to a broader rollout. "If the pilot proves successful, we will explore how this collaboration could be incorporated into our broader membership offering in the future," he said.
Clubs that put their hand up for the initial intake but missed out have not necessarily been left behind. Should the programme show clear results in its early stages, a second cohort will be considered, and those clubs will be given first priority. "If this initiative demonstrates clear value within the first six months, we will look to extend the programme to a second cohort, with those clubs prioritised," Armitage said.
Throughout the pilot, all ten clubs will be encouraged to contribute feedback on their experience, with that input helping to shape how the programme evolves and ensuring lessons learned benefit the wider club network.
