Posts Tagged ‘tourism sector’
NZx: a collective difference
Naumai
A recent night sky experience has led us to reflect on the collective difference in NZ inc. By this we mean what are the unique selling points and subsequent tourism products of the region or place?
A quick search of night sky tours found at least seven “planetarium” , over fifteen “tours”, and at least 24 local astronomical societies that operate observatories on a few nights each month. We are certainly not decrying our night sky experiences. New Zealand is one of the best places in the world to see the night sky. The fact that the world’s largest Dark Sky Reserve and the world’s only Dark Sky Sanctuary on an island can be found here support this.
Another search could just as easily find different versions of essentially the same product, from zip-lines to jet boat tours, repeated throughout Aotearoa.
We first commented on the wider issue in 2011 and again in 2012.
We are a small country with a wide range of differentiation (landscape, culture, food, wine etc) between regions. Our collective differences are potentially our strength.
One can only hope that the Provincial Growth Fund recognises this when making it’s deliberations.
There are hints that perhaps the rise in international visitor numbers is starting to slow. We must continue to grow, differentiate and create points of difference in our tourism product.
These should be regionally based, unique and reflect the culture and stories of that place. Not simply repeats of a similar experience found elsewhere in the country.
How many night sky experiences do we need?
Ka kite ano
Owaka in the Catlins, and it’s famous teapot collection
NZx: March 22nd – southern road trip
Naumai
It is always a privilege to “share” Aotearoa / New Zealand. It matters little if the audience is domestic or international , hitting the road to explore our place in the world is one of life’s pleasures.
This summer was however different. Tasked with sharing the southern part of the South Island with a group of international visitors (including over the Chinese New Year period) I reflected on what one might find.
Reading and listening to media headlines I was expecting a constant stream of polluting freedom campers, over priced food and lodging, little space, tired operators, and people literally everywhere – even in my normally quiet haunts and secluded places!
The trip took in every destination and more, between Christchurch and Bluff via the Catlins, Manapouri, Te Anau Queenstown and Wanaka.
So summing up the trip was a great success, we achieved most things we promised our visitors and more. We saw rare and endangered wildlife, meet some fantastic locals, enjoyed great food and wine and the whole gambit of southern landscapes.
That of course is the official version.
My overwhelming impression after ten days on the road in the southern South Island, is of too many people in too many locations. I mean literally no one used to go to Slope Point (the most southern point of mainland NZ) , a full car park at Bluff mid afternoon (great views) and absolutely no where to turn in Wanaka around 4pm.
I am apprehensive when I hear local operators saying that bookings for next year re even higher than this summer, in one case up to a third. What does that mean for tourism’s social license to operate?
Here are some facts:
The number of international visitors coming into NZ averages over 320,000 a month
This is an average yearly growth of over 5.65 for the last ten years
More than one in ten jobs is indirectly generated by tourism
International visitors contribute $ 40 million per day to the economy
And New Zealander’s (2017) views on tourism
96% of us agree tourism is good for NZ 35% think tourism puts too much pressure on NZ 21% think there are too many visitors
Challenges for NZ’s around international visitors include: road congestion, litter and a high risk of motor accidents
In earlier blogs we have discussed the opportunities and challenges for tourism in maintaining and enhancing a social license to operate. Some initiatives such as Tourism Aotearoa’s sustainable tourism are small step in the right direction. But if this years southern experience on the road is next years reality, then we have a serious problem – with no coordinated response in sight.
Ka kite ano
Visitors on the beach – Moeraki Boulders
NZx – August 22nd: A social license to operate
Naumai
Continued growth in New Zealand tourism is raising questions over it’s social license to operate. As Tourism Aotearoa states ” Tourism will only achieve our Tourism 2025 aspirational goal if we maintain and enhance our social licence to operate. We are encouraging tourism operators to recognise the importance of growing their businesses in a way which balances the economic, social and environmental impacts.”
There is no widely accepted definition of a social license to operate (SLO). However a recent paper by the Sustainable Business Council suggests key attributes include:
Ka kite ano
Just what is tourism’s social license to operate in NZ?
NZx 6 October: Outmarked
Naumai
So the process continues for a revamp of the adventure tourism sector’s safety standards.
It certainly hasn’t been without it’s moments. The personal attack against an adventure tourism operator’s protests on the proposed changes by TIA Board member Geoff Gabities wasn’t one of them. Neither were some of the less than helpful comments by some TIA staff about individual operators and against the sectors vocal interest’s in participating in the debate. Finally the response by DOL was to be expected, way too bureaucratic and again over cooked.
Hopefully the appointment of Jeroen Jongejans to TIA’s Board as the Adventure Tourism & Outdoor Activities Division
representative will bring some rational sense to the debate.
It is a problem for those that work in Wellington. They tend to forget how small business’s in the outdoor sector work and don’t take on-board how to work with them – these operators aren’t large corporates. One person typically runs the whole business.
The delay in pushing the regulations through with almost unseen haste was inevitable. The Government’s response to the number of recent tragic incidents was too much too soon. Politically they may have been ill advised.
Now there are bigger threats on the horizon. With a lot of Government money floating around the implementation of the new rules the consultants and other organizations are lining up to feed at the trough.
No one seems to have addressed where this whole process will leave the already financially stricken Qualmark.
One would have to say the Outdoors NZ (formerly a small recreation/education orientated organisation) has effectively placed itself in a potentially strong position to do more – to the detriment of other tourism focused organisations such as Qualmark.
Whatever happened to the concept of a one stop shop and single branding entities for tourism? Dilution is not the solution!
Ka kite ano
Malcolm