OUR STORY
"We influence the future by how we preserve the past"
Heritage Canterbury Awards, 2021
https://www.heritageawards.co.nz/2021-awards/2021-finalists/
OUR STORY
Our culture and food tours on foot showcase our city’s hidden gems combining natural beauty, exquisite dining experiences, unique trails and include our own Māori and multi-cultural storytelling. Our language (Te Reo) is an essential window into our culture and we welcome you on a journey to meet and share with our people.
Discover the stories of the past and present, connect with local culture, share moments and create unique memories to take home with you.
OUR TEAM
CATE GRACE
KAI TAHU
NZ EUROPEAN
DANISH & ENGLISH
KAIWHAKAHAERE
MATUA | CEO
Cate is a social entrepreneur and storyteller. Her nan’s legacy ensures that her whānau values of kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga and whanaungatanga are weaved through all that Āmiki sets out to do.
As the kaitiaki of her ancestors stories, she is excited to be contributing to the world being a vibrant, unique and diverse place. She loves combining her visionary traits with strategic project management, governance and leadership skills to solve big problems.
Drawing on three decades working in 10 cities across five countries, unlikely career choices are Cate’s specialty. She looks forward to leading Āmiki to becoming an internationally and domestically recognised Must Do stop for manuhiri visiting Christchurch
RIWAI GRACE
TE WHĀNAU-A -APANUI
NGĀTI POROU
KAI TAHU
NZ EUROPEAN
CHIEF OF VISITOR EXPERIENCES
Riwai has three decades of travel discovering the worlds best local spots. His expertise is in hosting visitors with the utmost care and connecting them to places and spaces that are meaningful to each individual. He brings to the team an eclectic set of skills from working in the RNZN for eight years, running an managing city pubs in the UK and 20 years with Fire and Emergency NZ in management, training and media roles.
In his role of Chief of Visitor Experiences, Riwai looks forward to creating a culture and building a crew based on his values of kotahitanga, rangitiratanga and whakamana. His vision for Āmiki: manuhiri arrive as strangers and leave as whānau.
LOU MCLEOD
NGĀTI POROU
TE WHĀNAU-A -APANUI
KAI TAHU
SAMOAN
NZ EUROPEAN
KAIWHAKAHAERE
RAUEMI | OPERATIONS
Lou is the Operations Manager. Her passion for showing manaakitanga to people is in all that she does. Her strengths are in taking seed ideas and developing them into viable products and services. She loves the challenge of taking the unlikely and turning it into the unexpected.
Drawing on her two decades across a range of businesses, she believes New Zealand is the greatest country to live and play. As a co-founder, Lou is eager for Āmiki to be part of the emerging phoenix story of Christchurch.
Her focus is on creating local solutions, growing our visitor experience and creating an urban suburb attraction that offers sustainable employment opportunities to a diverse range of people.
Our values
MANAAKITANGA
Kotahitanga
Care for all things, people and planet
Working together for the greater good of all.
WHANAUNGATANGA
Meaningful connections
lead to a sense of belonging
TIKANGA
Our culture is the foundation for how we approach life
We continue to re-imagine our bespoke products and our urban adventure to support local and international travel and our local business in Ōtautahi Christchurch and Te Waipounamu.