Home / Great Wine Capitals conference 2026
Great Wine Capitals International Annual Conference · Hawke's Bay · 18 to 22 October 2026
The authenticity is the luxury.
For delegates and trade partners who would like to know more about Duncan Darroch's Knowledge Day talk, or about how Electric Executive hosts guests across Hawke's Bay.
Download the talk
Scanned the code on Duncan's slides?
Everything from the Knowledge Day session and the B2B Trade Event is here to download. Trade buyers will find the full tour product manual, rates and supplier facts on our trade page.
- Knowledge Day slides (PDF, 9 slides). The authenticity is the luxury.
- Sustainability case study (PDF). Three Māori values in practice, and what we measure.
- Delegate sheet (PDF, 2 pages). Our award, sustainability credentials and trade services, as handed out at the conference.
- Media pack (PDF). Approved articles, quotes and facts about Electric Executive.
- Tour product manual 2026/27 (PDF, 13 pages). Tours, transfers, groups and private aviation, for agents, DMCs and concierges.
- Retail rates 2026/27 (PDF) and our one-page trade sheet (PDF): credentials, every product and service, the group fleet and trade references.
From the Knowledge Day session
The ideas behind the talk.
Duncan Darroch spoke at Knowledge Day on Thursday 22 October 2026 at Napier War Memorial Centre, in the session on sustainability strategy. These are the four ideas he shared, and the evidence behind each.
Turangawaewae, a place to stand
You do not belong to a place until you understand what came before you: the land, the story, the people and the knowledge. That is the foundation of how we host.
Kaitiakitanga, guardianship
Sustainability reduces harm. Regeneration gives back. Guardianship asks us to put more back than we take.
Sustainability is the upgrade
Manaakitanga, care for the guest, and kaitiakitanga, care for the place, are the same act. For many guests their journey with us is their first in a high-end electric vehicle, and it asks no compromise in comfort or quality.
Measured, and regenerative
We measure our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions on a live dashboard that updates from our accounts and trip logs, and an independent consultancy prepares our full inventory each year. We direct the cost of our emissions to the Hōhepa Hawke's Bay native plant nursery, a social enterprise, rather than to offshore offsets. We have also helped five small makers host international visitors for the first time. The full record is on our sustainability page.
About Electric Executive
An owner-operated host in a Great Wine Capital.
Electric Executive is a Hawke's Bay chauffeur and touring company based in Havelock North, New Zealand, and holder of the Great Wine Capitals Best Of Wine Tourism Award of Excellence, Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices, 2026 and 2027. We hold Qualmark Silver and have signed the Tourism Sustainability Commitment.
We host private transfers, wine tours and food producer days for guests of the region's five-star lodges and wineries, and for the travel advisors, DMCs and concierges who send them. Duncan Darroch owns the business and hosts many of our guests himself.
Our fleet is electric-first. The BYD Atto 3, Tesla Model Y and Mercedes-Benz eVito are fully electric. The Mercedes-Benz V-Class and Sprinter are diesel and carry our larger groups and longer distances.
Nau mai, haere mai. Hawke's Bay sits on Te Matau a Māui, the land the navigator Māui hauled from the sea with his hook. That story is the start of how we host: care for the guest and care for the place are the same act. Read our story, or see our press and awards.
For trade delegates
Sending guests to Hawke's Bay after the conference?
Our trade page carries our supplier facts, published retail fares, sample programmes, a 40 guest group day with timings and a sample menu, paste-ready supplier descriptions and six high-resolution images. Accredited DMCs, inbound operators and concierges receive a nett rate card by email on request.
We encourage famils. If you would like to see the vehicles and the wineries, tell us and we will arrange a vehicle and host.
Continue the conversation
We would be delighted to hear from you.
- About the talk. Questions on the ideas, the emissions dashboard, our Hōhepa partnership or working with small makers. Duncan is happy to share what has worked and what has not.
- For trade partners. Travel advisors, DMCs, inbound operators and concierges who would like to work with us can ask for our trade information by email.
- For media. Interviews, quotes and images. Start with the media pack.
Email info@elecexec.co.nz, message WhatsApp +64 21 025 87832, which works from any country, or connect with Duncan Darroch on LinkedIn.
Questions
Questions from delegates and trade.
Where can I download Duncan Darroch's Great Wine Capitals Knowledge Day slides?
The nine-slide deck, The authenticity is the luxury, is a free PDF download on this page at https://www.elecexec.co.nz/media/electric-executive-gwc-knowledge-day-2026-slides.pdf, alongside a sustainability case study and a media pack.
What was Duncan Darroch's Knowledge Day talk about?
Duncan Darroch spoke at Knowledge Day on Thursday 22 October 2026 at Napier War Memorial Centre, during the Great Wine Capitals International Annual Conference in Hawke's Bay. He argued that authenticity is the true luxury in wine tourism, and showed how three Māori values, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and whanaungatanga, shape how Electric Executive hosts guests and measures its impact.
What is Electric Executive?
Electric Executive is an owner-operated chauffeur and touring company in Havelock North, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. It holds the Great Wine Capitals Best Of Wine Tourism Award of Excellence, Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices, 2026 and 2027, and Qualmark Silver. Its fleet is electric-first: the BYD Atto 3, Tesla Model Y and Mercedes-Benz eVito are fully electric, and the Mercedes-Benz V-Class and Sprinter are diesel.
How does Electric Executive measure and offset its emissions?
Electric Executive measures its Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions on a live dashboard that updates from its accounts and trip logs, and an independent consultancy prepares its full inventory each year. It directs the cost of its emissions to the Hōhepa Hawke's Bay native plant nursery, a social enterprise, rather than to offshore offsets.
I work in the travel trade. How do I start working with Electric Executive?
Email info@elecexec.co.nz and tell us about your agency, DMC or property. We reply with our trade information and arrange a call with Duncan Darroch.
How do I contact Duncan Darroch from overseas?
Email info@elecexec.co.nz, phone +64 6 211 2600, or message +64 21 025 87832 on WhatsApp, which works from any country. You can also connect with Duncan Darroch on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncan-darroch-a62346340.