Product beats promotion.
No campaign can fix an average experience. Build the thing people can't stop talking about and your marketing gets cheaper every year.
Building tourism experiences people travel for
Queenstown-based. Working across New Zealand and beyond.
Kia ora, I'm Brad
I strategise, develop and build tourism experiences with operators, investors and destinations. From bike parks and gondolas to floating saunas, multi-day walks and whole destinations.
Work with meTrusted by operators, infrastructure leaders and destinations17 organisations · 15+ years · 3 NZ firsts
RealNZLeadership workshop
SkylineBike park build
Christchurch Adventure ParkWorld-first bike lift
Doppelmayr NZRopeway development
Tourism Industry AotearoaSummit speaker
CardronaFirst ski-field gondolas
Business Events Industry AotearoaConference keynote
WatershedFloating sauna launch
Dunedin Craft Beer and Food FestivalStrategic plan
Real NativeStart-up mentoring
Enterprise DunedinOperator programme
Lake Wānaka TourismOperator workshops
QueenstownDestination work
Grow TourismCourse partner
University of OtagoGuest lecture- Queenstown MarinaAdvisory
- Glen Dene GroupAdvisory
Here's the deal:
Yield beats volume.
More visitors is not the goal. More value per visitor is. Growth that clogs the roads and thins the margins isn't growth.
Only here beats anywhere.
Nobody crosses the world for something they can do at home. The winners build what could only exist in their place.
Start building.
The proof
Some started as a napkin sketch. Some as a tired asset that needed a second life.
New venture · Lake Wakatipu · 2025
Queenstown's first floating sauna
WatershedResultA refined business model and a high-demand experience on its way to becoming a cornerstone of local wellness tourism.
Infrastructure · Cardrona
The first gondolas on a New Zealand ski area
Cardrona · with DoppelmayrResultA ski field turned four-season destination, now running biking, carting, stargazing and sightseeing.
New venture · Hill country
Premium multi-day walk on a working station
Piquet Hill StationResultA ready-to-launch, high-value walking product that attracts the right market and protects the land.
Experience design · Christchurch
Resetting the guest experience
Christchurch Adventure ParkResultClear recommendations and design improvements that gave the team direction.
What clients say
Brad Rowe was a standout at Tourism Summit Aotearoa. He shared practical strategies to identify memorable moments, build emotional connections and use innovative thinking to enhance visitor satisfaction.
Teearn FalconerTourism Industry AotearoaBrad's workshop was incredibly valuable for our tourism leadership team. It helped us sharpen our focus on how we can elevate every part of the guest experience.
Tim WellsHead of Guest Experience, RealNZHe's inspired our visitor industry to consider and improve the quality of experiences we deliver, both individually and as a destination.
Teresa FogartyDestination Manager, Enterprise DunedinReady to build?
Four ways to work with me
For existing operators
Elevate an existing experience
Most tourism businesses are leaving money on the table. We find where value is created, where friction lives, and what to change first.
- Redesign the product and guest journey
- Increase revenue per guest
- Align experience with commercial performance
Review my experienceSee it in action: RealNZ
Local roots, national reach.
Built across Aotearoa
24Projects
7Regions
3NZ firsts
Home base · 14 projects
Queenstown
Where I'm based and where ideas get tested first. The work travels across Aotearoa and beyond.
- BuildSkyline Mountain BikingQueenstown · 2010 · Took a trial department and built it into a world-recognised gondola-access bike park.
- Product developmentWatershed floating saunaLake Wakatipu · 2025 · Business model, pricing, permissions and guest journey for NZ's first floating sauna.
- BuildFirst gondolas on a NZ ski areaCardrona · A chondola that turned a ski field into a four-season destination. With Doppelmayr.
- ElevateRealNZ leadership workshopQueenstown · Mapped emotional peaks and gaps across their experiences.
- Product developmentGood FindsQueenstown · Now · Co-founder of a curated experiences marketplace, Queenstown first.
- DestinationQueenstown MarinaQueenstown · Advisory.
- DestinationQueenstown Lakes District CouncilQueenstown · Destination development work.
- On stageLake Wānaka TourismWānaka · Operator workshops on markets, channels and experience.
- DestinationGlen Dene GroupLake Hāwea · Advisory.
- Product developmentHouse of Eden ExperienceCentral Otago · Product development.
- DestinationWeb in Travel QueenstownQueenstown · Travel tech event bringing the industry to Queenstown.
- On stageCentral Otago TourismCromwell · Visitor experience and product development workshop for operators.
- On stageBella Vista GroupWānaka · Two-hour workshop at their national conference.
- On stageThree Lakes Cultural TrustQueenstown Lakes · Visitor experience and product development workshop for creatives in tourism.
Beyond the map: Doppelmayr's global ropeway group · Visitor Experience Design course with Grow Tourism, taken online worldwide.
On stage
Talks that send rooms away with tools
Hosted by Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Business Events Industry Aotearoa, Enterprise Dunedin, Lake Wānaka Tourism, University of Otago and more.
Enquire about speaking
Field notes, not fluff.
Listen and read
PodcastTourism Matters: the art and science of memorable experiencesSpotify ↗PodcastMountain Club PodcastJul 2025EssayProduct development > tourism marketingOct 2025EssayTourism in NZ was never meant to play by the rulesMay 2025EssayWhat if our plan for more visitors fails?Apr 2025CourseVisitor Experience Design, with Grow TourismOnline ↗
All insights →
Let's build.
Starting a new tourism project, or want to test an idea? Get in touch.
© 2026 Brad Rowe · Tourism x DesignQueenstown · New Zealand