About Us

Great South, Southland Regional Development Agency. Great South is committed to driving economic, social and cultural growth, and we have a clear mandate to leverage opportunities for Southland in the areas of economic and business development, tourism and events. Ensuring Murihiku Southland is the best place to live, work, study and visit

This involves managing Southland's regional tourism organisations (RTOs) and central government's Regional Business Partner (RBP) Network, as well as delivering a range of events, regional initiatives, and government-funded contracts that pave the way for regional development.

We are proud to tell Southland's story and play a part in growing Southland's visitor economy. Tourism is constantly evolving with traditional and new markets, and we are here to help tourism businesses navigate the marketplace and recognise their potential. We do this through the two Regional Tourism Organisations we manage, Visit Southland and Visit Fiordland.

Our role sees us working with media and industry representatives to shape Southland's reputation as a preferred visitor destination and provide a strong platform for local operator success!

Visit Southland is the Regional Tourism Organisation promoting the Southland region. When we attend trade and other tourism events, this is the brand used to represent the region. The consumer brand for the Visit Southland RTO is Southland NZ. That's the branding seen by visitors planning to or exploring the region. It focuses on telling the greater Southland story, including Fiordland as well.

Visit Fiordland is the Regional Tourism Organisation promoting the area of Fiordland. When we attend trade and other tourism events, this is the brand used to represent the region. Visit Fiordland's consumer brand is, Fiordland Beyond Belief. This is the branding visitors exploring the region will see online, focusing on telling the story of Fiordland.

Working with Us

We are committed to supporting our tourism operators and identifying opportunities to work together. If your tourism business is not yet listed on our site(s), please go here or contact one of the team.

Visit in Person

Great South has two offices, one located at 143 Spey Street, Invercargill (main office) and the other at 116 Town Centre, Te Anau (above Southland District Council). As our office is always busy, we recommend that you contact us beforehand to schedule an appointment with members of our team. Moreover, we also participate in several tourism industry and community events throughout the year.