The Waikato Tourism Monitoring Observatory is the first observatory to open in New Zealand and is hosted by the Waikato Management School of the University of Waikato. The Waikato Observatory seeks to support the strengthening of the world famous surfing town Raglan as a sustainable destination, while continuing to protect the unique landscapes and the biodiversity of Waitomo and its iconic tourist attraction the Waitomo Caves.

The observatory focuses its monitoring efforts especially on crucial socio-cultural aspects such as ‘local and visitor satisfaction’, ‘destination economic benefits’, ‘tourism seasonality’ and ‘development control’. Over time, efforts will be extended, covering additional thematic areas related to waste management, housing issues, water supply and sewage management, among others.