Spotlight on Leadership: From shutdown to Shanghai the CEO behind Polynesian Spa

Gert Taljaard is the CEO of one of New Zealand’s favourite attractions – Polynesian Spa in the geothermal hotspot, Rotorua.

Think fluffy white robes, healing warm soaks in mineral pools amidst lush surroundings, therapeutic massage, yoga classes and relaxation - it’s no wonder the Polynesian Spa is a must-visit for all ages. Gert’s passion for the business is clear to see - even dressing up in a robe especially for this interview!

Fresh from a recent trade trip with Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell and 14 other leading tourism providers, Gert is an enigmatic leader in the sector, and he’s needed to be – being shut down in the pandemic and dealing with a challenging local economic climate has taken serious energy and determination. Backed by a supportive Board, Gert reached out to the Icehouse for leadership guidance and the business is reaping the rewards.

With tourist numbers picking up - how is Rotorua performing as a destination?

It’s a jewel – this city is going from strength to strength. More operators are opening businesses here and its providing customers with a choice which is fantastic because people will come for a few days and enjoy all the facilities on offer.

We're seeing strong growth in international visitor spend, and the domestic market is bouncing back, especially now that emergency housing, which caused significant perception issues for Kiwis, is fading into the background.

The region has recently launched the “Robe Campaign” targeting couples and friends wanting to enjoy the spa experience. The campaign puts our hotels and geothermal experiences front and centre - I love the idea, and we are right behind it.

Our recent China roadshow proved that there is a hunger for our product, and we have excellent brand equity there. The response from bookers and wholesalers was fantastic. Normally you battle to hold the crowd’s attention, but people stayed all day.

What challenges do you have in the region?

A lack of airline connectivity between Rotorua and the South Island is a fundamental issue for us particularly in the summer months with the volume of international visitors who expect to be able to fly from one hotspot to another – particularly Queenstown. We are working with the EDA on this and I’m hopeful we will see some change. Fortunately, roading access is now fantastic for our Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga market.

How did you manage to lead the team out of Covid?

Transitioning from survival mode to strategic and growth mode again required a different set of skills and that’s when I reached out to Jamie Brock [Bay of Plenty based Icehouse coach] for support. I needed to enhance my output with my leadership team both collectively and on an individual basis. I felt like I hadn’t done any leadership training for a while, and I needed to address how I could enhance my communications with my Board. Jamie really helped with goal settings and a focus on outcomes. Working alongside Jamie has seen real growth and advancement for the business, and it’s invigorated how I work with my team and my board. Obviously, it’s a great result because at the end of the day leadership training is an investment for the business.

What changes and development strategies have you deployed?

We’ve been refining our product and making some changes to our trading times for example. We want our deluxe product to be more exclusive and so we are actively managing volumes and that’s lifted our customer experience.

We’re focused on using New Zealand products like the Real World NZ products from Hawke’s Bay and those products features in our deluxe bathrooms and in our day spa. We’re seeing the NPS (Net Promoter Score) go through the roof, and we are exceeding pre Covid revenue on lower volumes.

We have redeveloped an area to be a dedicated wellness room. This a multi-use facility with daily yoga sessions for up to 20 people but it can also be used for business sessions, conference breakouts, that kind of thing. It was a small tweak but it’s delivering a new revenue stream and advances our retreat weekend offering.