International and Sister City delegation 2026
A Mayor-led delegation is visiting Asia in June 2026 to strengthen Whanganui’s sister city relationships and build new connections in international education, trade and investment.
The focus is on maintaining long-standing relationships and developing new ones to create opportunities for Whanganui’s economy.
These efforts are expected to deliver tangible benefits, including more customers for local businesses, more jobs and increased economic activity.
In a competitive environment, these relationships are important. If we’re not actively working on them, opportunities are likely to go elsewhere.
Previous visits
Previous visits have delivered results. For example, the last trip led to a formal agreement with Tsuruoka College which saw Japanese students come to Whanganui for study, internships with local businesses and English-language programmes through UCOL.
Earlier delegations have also helped create business opportunities, including a local honey producer securing supermarket distribution in Japan.
Focus of this visit
The schedule is packed with meetings focused on creating more of those opportunities and turning them into real benefits for the district.
This visit will build on work already underway, including discussions with the Tokyo Board of Education about significantly increasing student visits to Whanganui. These programmes support local schools while bringing spending into accommodation providers, shops and other businesses.
The delegation will also support local exporters, including honey producers and agritech businesses, while building on tourism connections that have already attracted hundreds of visitors to Whanganui.
Discussions will also cover renewable energy and investment opportunities that could contribute to Whanganui’s long-term economic growth.
In Kobe and Singapore, the delegation will explore opportunities through Whanganui’s UNESCO City of Design connections, focusing on design, education and innovation. The aim is to create opportunities that can help strengthen design education and creative industries in Whanganui.
Why the Mayor is attending
In Japanese and Chinese business and civic culture, mayoral attendance is an important sign of respect, standing and commitment. It helps show that Whanganui values the relationship and is engaging at the appropriate level.
The Mayor's involvement is also crucial because it opens doors to meetings with city leaders, universities and major organisations that would be difficult to secure otherwise.
International relationships are often built between civic leaders, and mayoral participation helps ensure Whanganui is represented at the appropriate level.
Business participation
Several local businesses are paying their own way to join the delegation because they see real opportunities to grow exports, make new connections and expand into international markets.
Sister cities
An important part of the visit is meeting with our sister cities, Nagaizumi-cho and Lijiang. Strong international relationships need ongoing engagement to stay active and productive. These connections help create future opportunities in education, tourism, cultural exchange and economic development. Nagaizumi-cho has consistently invested in its relationship with Whanganui through regular visits over many years and it is important that we continue to show the same commitment.
Reporting back
The cost of the delegation is $40,000, with the mayoral component making up around $13,500 of it. The delegation is budgeted for within the council’s Sister Cities’ budget.
The Mayor and council staff involved in the trip are travelling economy class.
When the delegation returns a report outlining the trip’s outcomes, showing progress against KPI’s, will go to the council.
The following KPIs have been identified for the Asia delegation:
-
Identify and progress commercial, export, and investment opportunities, with a portion moving into active follow-up after the visit