Yachting New Zealand and Hospitality New Zealand have today announced a 12-month pilot programme, marking a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the grassroots sport and hospitality sectors in Aotearoa.
The initiative will see a cohort of 10 affiliated yacht and boating clubs from across the country receive structured support aimed at strengthening their hospitality operations, workforce capability and commercial sustainability.
The programme was developed in response to growing interest from clubs seeking to enhance their food and beverage offerings and better position themselves as community hospitality venues.
The selected 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.
Yachting New Zealand Chief Executive Steve Armitage said the pilot builds on direct feedback from clubs and represents a practical step forward in supporting their long-term viability.
“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.”
The participating clubs reflect a deliberate regional spread, ensuring the pilot captures a range of club sizes, locations and operating models. They will receive access to Hospitality New Zealand’s full suite of services, including workforce training through the Typsy platform, licensing guidance, and HR support, with access to legal advice and mediation where required.
Armitage said the hands-on nature of the programme was a key feature.
“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 will be onboarded by a regional manager within the first month, who will remain their primary point of contact throughout the programme.
“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.
“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.”
Tim Fraser-Harris, manager at Nelson Yacht Club, welcomed the programme as the club finalises costly seismic strengthening work completed over the past two years.
“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.”
Armitage said the pilot would be closely monitored, with the potential for expansion if successful.
“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 expressed interest but were not selected for the initial intake may still have an opportunity to participate at a later stage.
“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.
Participating clubs will also be encouraged to share feedback throughout the pilot to help inform future development and ensure the programme delivers meaningful outcomes across the wider club network.
Originally published by Yachting New Zealand.
