Speaker Trent Yeo

Trent Yeo is a tourism sustainability practitioner, event organiser, and serial collaborator on projects that can create impact. Trained in architecture (focus on sustainability) and interpretation and outdoor education, he brings a broad systems approach to his work alongside multiple world views from heritage and family.

Trent founded Ziptrek Ecotours in Queenstown, New Zealand, 2009 as the first zipline tourism company in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Ziptrek is a sustainability-focused business providing personalised zipline and tree based guided tours that create place-making stories to thousands of guests. For four years, Ziptrek has measured its climate impact and has been net zero since then.

Trent Yeo was past winner of the Emerging Tourism Leader at the New Zealand Tourism Awards and Ziptrek is currently a Qualmark 100% Pure Experience winner.

In the last three years Trent has served on many groups including the Sustainability and the TSC (Tourism Sustainability Commitment) development, Insights and Data, New Zealand Tourism Futures Taskforce Advisory, Aotearoa Circle Technical advisory for Climate Resilience and Adaptation, Destination Management, Affordable Housing, Startup Ecosystems (founder of Startup Queenstown Lakes) and Wellbeing.

Trent has served in a number of governance roles and is a strong sustainability advocate. He was a former licensee and curator of TEDxQueenstown, operations for TEDxScottbase and is a regular speaker and panellist on sustainability, education, tourism and entrepreneurship programmes and events.