The original idea I had for New Zealand wasn't naval as such, but rather tried to replicate their relative late settling to the rest of the world. It still retained elements of being a maritime, coastal nation.
It's also a country that has every single type of climate in the world, which is not only great for tourism, but as can bee seen from the LotR and Hobbit trilogies - extremely advantageous for tourism and subsequently revenue.
The Maori Battalion is also a great way to representing the blending of cultures.
When thinking of civ ideas I like to encompass everything about a civilization as opposed to just an idea. So here is a couple of ways you can try and replicate isolationism, tourism, film, culture, policies and immigration.
UA: Land of the Long White Cloud - First 3 cities founded receive additional
Tourism if adjacent to rivers, lakes or mountains*. Gain a
Gold boost* whenever a Great Artist is expended within your borders.
UU: Maori Battalion - Gains a 25% Foreign lands combat bonus and earns promotions 50% Faster unlike the Infantry which it replaces.
UB: New Zealand Company - Replaces the East India Company, comes at Industrialization instead of Guilds. In addition to Happiness and Gold Benefits, City owner receives +2
Food from Trade Routes and +2
Gold from Pastures.
*+2 for each. Also restriction to prevent abuse of city spam and to replicate that NZ isn't all too big. Represents places like Milford Sound, Remarkables, Taupo etc.
**Can be exchanged for Culture/Tourism or city state influence
Research Vessel sounds interesting. Perhaps something that could be expended to create a UI that produces Science?