Mārahau Pledge

Developing a tourism initiative that invests in Mārahau’s community and environment.

Client: Mārahau Pledge
Services: Strategy & Planning Facilitation & Engagement Story & Communications
Online: marahaupledge.nz

Aerial view of Mārahau and the estuary at sunset, islands on the horizon

O’D&Co conceived and developed the Mārahau Pledge, creating the strategy, brand and operating approach that enables local tourism businesses to contribute collectively to the place they depend on.

The project

Mārahau is a gateway to Abel Tasman National Park and home to a community whose livelihoods are closely connected to the environment.

There was an opportunity to make tourism’s contribution to the village more deliberate and enduring. This required a practical model that connected business commitments, visitor spending and investment in local priorities.

The initiative needed to work for participating operators, earn community support and make it easy for visitors to understand their contribution.

Our role

Our contribution

Concept development
Strategy and planning
Investment strategy
Brand identity
Website development
Facilitation
Stakeholder management
Communications
Community engagement

We developed the concept and plan from the outset, establishing how the Pledge would work and what it would seek to achieve.

Our work included the investment strategy, brand identity, website and communications, alongside facilitation, stakeholder management and community engagement. We worked closely with businesses and local people to develop the initiative and prepare it for launch.

The resulting model brought together commitments to carbon reduction, cooperation between operators and financial contributions to community and environmental projects. We gave that model a public identity and the communication tools needed to explain it, build participation and share its impact.

Gallery

Johny O’Donnell presenting at the launch beside a screen listing the founding businesses — Launching the Pledge with its founding businesses

A group of local operators stand on a rock wall at the beach — Stills from the Pledge film

A person reaches up into the bush canopy

A crowd gathers around a newly unveiled carved public artwork — Public art funded through the Pledge

The Mārahau Pledge poster, postcard and explainer laid out together on a cream ground — The campaign set — poster, postcard and explainer

Mārahau Pledge postcards on a navy ground, front and reverse — Postcards handed to manuhiri at the point of booking

The Mārahau Pledge poster framed on a timber wall beside a window — In place, Mārahau

Two copies of The Mārahau Pledge Impact Report stacked on a timber table — The Impact Report — reporting back on what the levy funded

The Mārahau Pledge poster: commitments set in English and te reo Māori on a navy ground — The Pledge, in English and te reo Māori

The outcome

Launched in 2022, the Mārahau Pledge established an ongoing way for tourism activity to fund local priorities.

Through the Mārahau Environmental Trust, funding has supported wetland restoration, pest trapping, public art, a community food garden and infrastructure. Local people can put forward projects, connecting investment with the needs and aspirations of the community.

The Pledge gives businesses a shared framework for action and visitors a practical way to contribute to Mārahau’s future.

Explore the Mārahau Pledge

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