Gisela Purcell
Sustainability Advocate, Tourism Industry Aotearoa
Gisela found her passion for sustainable tourism while working as the Destination Manager in Nelson Tasman. It was in this role that she led the creation of the first zero carbon holiday itinerary in NZ which won a national tourism award and led her to being named an “Eco-Luminary” of the Global Travel Industry by The Australian in 2021.
She has been involved in many other community initiatives to make sustainable living accessible to all NZers. Gisela has a wide understanding of tourism in NZ along with an MA in international development, a certificate in Regenerative Tourism and a Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.