TIA embraces the integration of Te Ao Māori (Māori worldview) in tourism, celebrating the unique aspect of destination Aotearoa New Zealand and ensuring Māori are integral to, and benefit from, a vibrant tourism industry. 

Action 4 in Tourism 2050 is Embrace Te Whakerae Māori. 

Te Whakarae Māori aims to integrate kaupapa Māori (Māori approach) and Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) into the tourism industry. It sets out the challenge to the industry to learn about and embrace Māori culture, including te reo Māori and tikanga to elevate the role of Māori voices within the tourism industry. TIA will be working to promote uptake of Te Whakarae Māori across the industry. 

TIA has gained funding to advance a specific Te Whakarae Māori project that is designed to enable tourism operators to understand and appropriately apply elements of Māori culture within their businesses and in their offerings to visitors. This project is being advanced with support from New Zealand Māori Tourism. 

Closely related to Te Whakarae Māori, TIA has created a course within the Akiaki programme to support non-Māori tourism operators to embrace and share Māori values appropriately. 

TIA has its own tikanga commitment and actively works to lift its cultural competency and how it lives the values of Kaitiakitanga, Manaakitanga and Whanaungatanga in all its activities.