TRAVEL AND TOURISM
Travel and Tourism Executive Search in New Zealand
Experience economies are built by leaders who understand people, performance and place.
Visitor experience businesses are built by leaders who balance operational resilience with emotional design. Our Auckland executive search practice works with New Zealand tourism operators, accommodation groups, attractions, transport providers and destination organisations on retained search for GMs, Commercial Directors, Heads of Experience and non-executive directors. Every engagement begins with a board-grade brief that respects seasonality and place.
The Market
Post-pandemic tourism in New Zealand is rebuilding for a leaner, higher-value future.
Visitor numbers are recovering at pace, but workforce shortages, capital costs and a focus on sustainability are reshaping operator decisions. Leaders are needed who can run experience-driven businesses with margin discipline and a long-term view.
Where the sector is shifting.
Higher-value, lower-volume.
Tourism NZ and operators are shifting toward higher-yield visitor segments. Regenerative and Maori-led tourism is rising. Premium accommodation and bespoke experiences are growing fastest.
Workforce and seasonality.
Recruiting senior operational leaders for remote and seasonal operations is hard. Migrant worker pipelines are still being rebuilt. Operating costs have outpaced 2019 revenue baselines.
Capital partners are returning.
Australian and offshore capital is re-entering hotels, attractions and lodges. Conservation-led and indigenous experiences are growing. Multi-site operators are appointing CEOs with stronger commercial credentials.
Who We Place
Leadership roles we search across travel and tourism.
- General Manager
- Commercial Director
- Head of Experience
- Head of Strategy
- Chief Operating Officer
- Head of Sales and Distribution
- Head of Marketing
- Chief Financial Officer
- Head of People and Culture
- Head of Sustainability
- Independent Chair
- Non-Executive Director
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
01. Do you recruit across both operator and destination?
Yes. We recruit across the full travel and tourism spectrum. That includes tourism operators, accommodation groups, attractions, transport providers, regional tourism organisations and visitor experience businesses. Our retained search engagements cover both leadership and specialist roles.
02. Can you find chairs and non-executive directors with tourism, hospitality, experience and destination backgrounds?
Yes. We maintain a curated Board & NED Network that includes operators, finance specialists, governance veterans and senior leaders with deep travel and tourism experience. We can build a chair shortlist, refresh a board, or place a single non-executive director.
03. What does an Infinitas travel and tourism search engagement look like?
Retained search. Every engagement begins with a board-grade brief covering role architecture, success measures, the operating context and the cultural lens. From there we run a structured market map, a long-list of identified candidates, structured interviews and competency assessment, references and a written shortlist report. Engagements typically run 8 to 12 weeks and respect seasonality and visitor experience.
04. Where in New Zealand do you operate?
We are based in Auckland and run searches nationally. That includes Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Tauranga, Hamilton, Dunedin and the regions. Where a role requires a trans-Tasman or international map, we extend the search accordingly.
Related Sectors
Where leaders cross over.
CEOs, High Performance Directors and Heads of Commercial who build culture and drive results.
CMOs, COOs and Heads of Retail who understand the customer and drive multi-site performance.
Purpose-driven CEOs, Fundraising Directors and Heads of Programmes who champion communities.
Ready to Talk
Ready to build your next travel and tourism leadership team?
Partner with Infinitas to recruit leaders who shape memorable experiences and resilient operations.