Naturist Clubs in New Zealand
I have been very public within these circles about Naturist Clubs etc in New Zealand ;
" They run very well to a well constructed 1960's business model ".
I have only visited club's in the North Island, the South Island is on my distant radar. The trend and thread are the same - they have not grasped the need to have a commercial approach to how they operate. I am yet to meet a single Committe Member person with experience in ' running a business '.
Last week, I met a man from Tauranga who was also staying here - as complete stangers, we struck up a random conversation and were very quickly singing from the same song sheet on this topic.
To add some perspective to my comments, I am currently having a holiday at the Hawkes Bay Naturist Club, just outside Napier. I will be here for nearly 2 weeks, as I am making my way from the Wellington Naturist Club ( where I spent about 60 days ! ) as I am making my way to Kiwiburn . . . . . . . . I believe that my presence here appears to have again been discussed at the Committee meeting held here on Sunday morning.
On Sunday afternoon, I was approached by The Treasurer and told " because you are not going to become a Member, you are not allowed to come and stay again. This is your last visit. " !
Personally, I did not see myself as a " visitor " - from my perspective, it is a holiday park / club available for people to stay for a holiday . . . . . . .
The Treasurer told me that I had made 3 visits to the Club ( I thought it was 4 ! ! ) - as they only allow 3 visits per person, I have used up my quota !
My inaurural visit was April 2023 for about 5 nites, as I had tickets to a concert in Havelock North.
The other visit referred to was in Winter 2023 - stayed 3 weeks, I came for a holiday.
This visit - arrived 7th January 2024, will depart 20th January 2024.
My visits are all additional income not within the budget of the Club - in business, unbudgetted income is ' icing on the cake '.
Last time I was here, in a casual conversation over a cuppa, in my accommodation room, with The President, I did say " from my obervations, what this Club really needs is more money and more members, in that order. " ; to which he agreed !
I was going to come back and stay for 4 / 5 weeks in April / May. With their archaeic thinking / policies / systems / etc . . . . . . that's money they have just turned away ! ! !
There is no WiFi here, and like other Club's which a number of us have commented on previously, there is a big locked gate at the road frontage, tall fences surround the main exterior, tall trees and other plantings at the perimetre - how inviting is this to ' the general public ' ?
I am only mentioning here the Napier situation as it is very current. However, the Club's within New Zealand all appear to be operated in a similar fashion and manner - which I feel sad about as they all have their own iniqueness and so much potential . . . . . .
I look forward to Kiwiburn, where as a member of " The Burner Bum Sun Club ", a Group of us will do more 5 days to promote Naturism as a lifestyle than the N Z N F and Clubs will do in a year !
" Best Wishes to All of You for 2024 "
Hi, Agree, Have contacted by email 2 clubs asking about short stays in my van. when visiting NZ. Im a BPO member. Never got a reply. Thank goodness for the Non Landed Groups and Hauraki Naturally. My experience of the Club circuit is that they have an important roll to play but not the only roll to play As the laws become more nudist friendly I see clothing optional venues expanding i.e KNP and as public awareness grows the need for clubs and their formalities will diminish but not disappear. Some of them may become more business friendly if not already. Many clubs have unfriendly optics with high fence lines and hidden away locations. Need for seclusion and keeping out of the public eye. Probably needed years ago; Cant blame them. The laws were not in their favour. Need for member privacy and security. Big need for vetting etc. Hopefully both venue styles will prosper and its pick your flavour. There was one exception years ago ; Rotota Club; made phone call and the response was welcome; come visit.