Posts Tagged ‘tourism communities’
NZx – November 26th: Sustainable tourism
Naumai
It was heartening, if with a strong sense of deja vu, to see the tourism industry (re) start a process to ensure economic, environmental, host community, and visitor satisfaction and engagement, drive the future of sustainable tourism in New Zealand.
We have of course been here before with initiatives such as Green Globe and Environmental Plans. These initiatives, while driven locally, had a global context and more importantly measured success towards publicly stated goals. Poor decision making and lack of integration resulted in a lost opportunity for the industry and the weakly positioned environmental initiative in the form of the original Qualmark.
You can read more about this current sustainable tourism initiative here: http://sustainabletourism.nz/assets/Uploads/FINAL-TIA-SUSTAINABILITY-BOOK-17.0-web-spreads.pdf
In a sense there’s nothing really new here. The approach is the industry’s response to rapid growth, increasing public concerns about international visitor numbers, effects of tourism on local communities and the environment and ensuring tourism businesses are economically successful. All sensible and admirable goals – if not a little overdue.
Over the years such initiatives have been met with initial support, particularly amongst the larger tourism entities – check out the current list of supporters here. Many other entities will undoubtedly sign up, driven by a mixture of opportunity, marketing push/pull, desire to stay ahead of the pack and some through genuine commitment.
As Fonterra has found their nearly tw0 year old public relations campaign has meet with mixed reaction. Some see through it as typical pr speak , while others believe it has a role to play in ensuring the dairy industries future in an increasingly skeptical New Zealand.
While not suggesting the campaign is no more than tourism’s version of pr speak it will take more than this initiative to make a difference. More needs to be done with both Central Government and Local Government to ensure all parties commitments are in alignment.
Of course it is local communities that drive a lot of input into both forms of Government. We have previously commented on tourism social license to operate in previous blogs.
The 14 commitments are big on the right words but light on measuring and reporting on success, other than financial.
Hopefully this tourism initiative will be both sustainable, wide reaching and effective!
Ka kite ano
Cruising Piopiotahi /Milford Sound
NZx – September 30th : how to boost your social license to operate
Naumai
Last month we looked at some views on why NZ tourism needs to develop it’s social license to operate.
As previously noted, there are many definitions of how to obtain and maintain a social license to operate. At the micro level it’s about the concept of a project achieving ongoing approval of the local community and other stakeholders. That may be formal through processes such as the RMA or the DOC concession process or informal such as access agreements.
At the macro level it is how industry sectors work at a national level along similar lines, and particularly how they influence government.
The opportunity to achieve a social license to operate can be seen as an overall outcome. There is no rule book which defines the process, a method, tools or ways to achieve such an outcome.That is both an advantage and disadvantage.
Gavin Shepherd in the Te Awamutu Courier argues, that for the farming sector, “long-term profits on farm are more linked to these social perceptions than efficiency in production or scale at all costs”.
Dan Ormond, formerly partner at Ideas Shop, notes that, along with knowledge of who your market is and its size, “all aspects of engaging with stakeholders and developing sustainable business practices need to be communicated well in order to keep your business’s social license to operate”.
So how do we achieve such a license?
There seems to be general agreement on the following processes:
- identify key stakeholders (people affected by the project/sector) and continue to review these
- gain social acceptance based around legal, social,and cultural norms – both formal and informal
- gain credibility based on accurate and transparent information and importantly delivering on promises and representations that have been given
- gain trust from the local or national community based on being accountable, collaborative and sharing experiences
- deliver extensive and wide ranging communications across all channels that integrate all of the above.
In terms of a tourism perspective we note Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) comments that “globally tourism is today the 3rd largest export industry in the world after chemicals and fuels. Last year alone, 1.235 million travellers crossed international borders in one single year. By 2030, this 1.2 billion will become 1.8 billion”. Globally tourism has sustainable development as a key plank in all its 5 pillars:
- Economic: yielding inclusive growth;
- Social: bringing decent jobs and empowering communities;
- Environmental: preserving and enriching the environment and addressing climate change;
- Cultural: celebrating and preserving diversity, identity, and tangible and intangible culture, and
- Peace: as an essential prerequisite for development and progress.
As an aside the UN General Assembly declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. Who knew?
In NZ tourism faces some political issues and community fears. As Professor Chris Ryan noted immediately after the election, all major parties played lip service to developing integrated tourism policy. This remains an ongoing challenge for the industry but should not deter Tourism Aotearoa , Tourism New Zealand local Regional Tourism Organizations and tourism operators doing more in this space.
Regular snapshots of how NZ communities view tourism show a trend towards less acceptance at the current and particularly the projected levels of international tourism.
In summary, achieving and maintaining a social license to operate is a dynamic, long-term, holistic and vitally important process for both key industry sectors and individual operators. The difference being primarily the scale of the input.
As social scientist Kate Brooks states “Any industry, that operates, particularly using common resources like water or land, forests, has to concern themselves with social license to operate issues. It’s like somebody saying I want to come in and use your front yard (for my own profit).”
Ka kite ano
Cruise ship passengers Whangara Marae
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 – June 29th: water, water everywhere…..
Naumai
Water, water everywhere so whats the issue…….?
A recent visit to Waireinga/Bridal Veil Falls, revealed a deeply discoloured waterway, with warning signs about the quality of the water, and danger to swimmers. Standing in the midst of 217 ha Wairēinga Scenic Reserve, surrounded by tawa-dominated forest, watching the water flow over 55 metres basalt cliffs, one wonders how this could happen in New Zealand.
There is good work being done in parts of the catchment. Over 8kms of native planting in an area upstream of the waterfall has been completed as part of a local initiative coordinated by Whaingaroa Harbour Care.
Water is already to be established as a key component of this years elections. A recent survey by Lincoln University (8th Public Perceptions of New Zealand’s Environment) canvassed New Zealander’s views about aspects of the environment .
The worst managed environments were perceived to be rivers, lakes, and groundwater, largely on account of very negative perceptions concerning the management of farm effluent and runoff. In fact, nearly 60 percent of respondents deemed farming to be one of the three main causes of damage to freshwater.
In a separate report, Our fresh water environment 2017, found nearly three quarters of native freshwater fish species are threatened by or at risk of extinction, as well as a third of native freshwater invertebrates and a third of native freshwater plants.
All of these reports raise the current issues, but also note the lack of data, and that the snapshot doesn’t take into account the slow movement through aquifers – such as those in Canterbury. The real impact on communities in these area may take many years to surface.
Both New Zealand’s leading export industries, tourism and farming, need to better manage their social license to operate in the environmental space. Water quality, the wider environment and sustainability are discussions (and subsequent actions) that need to form a key part of the this years conversations.
Ka kite ano
Waireinga/Bridal Veil Falls
NZx – May 30th: alternative facts
Naumai
The recent public debate (which is full of alternative facts) about Auckland’s proposed bed tax highlights the gaps between local and central government funding, and the lack of understanding as to how tourism adds benefits and costs to all aspects of the New Zealand economy.
Many people have a view on the tax but only a few reflect the facts. Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Chief Executive Chris Roberts says the commercial accommodation sector receives just 9% of the total visitor spend in Auckland source (Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment).
“The original targeted rate proposal was for 330 commercial property owners to pay the full cost of Council tourism and event promotion. The cost of that promotion is currently shared by every ratepayer in Auckland, residential and commercial.
“It is still not the fair share that Mayor Goff repeatedly talks about. The small targeted group receives around 7-8% of the total visitor spend in Auckland, and yet is being asked to pay 50% of promotion and event support.”
We note that in 2014 international and domestic visitors spent $ 66 million per day in New Zealand communities. Thats a fact.
Shamubeel Eaqub also believes the plan offers no clear alignment between costs and benefit. You can read his original article here http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/93272191/shamubeel-eaqub-bed-tax-reveals-local-government-flaws
With 2017 being an election year , one assumes there will soon be a large amount of alternative facts in circulation. Tourism will need to make sure it’s voice is united, clear and more importantly heard.
Ka kite ano 
NZx January 27th: Northland / Te Tai Tokerau
Naumai
Northland /Te Tai Tokerau is a fantastic place. There are many icons to visit here; Tane Mahuta, Russell, Waitangi, Cape Reinga or any beach with golden sands, pohutakawa and sparking blue sea.
A recent visit to Northland enabled us to spend some time exploring both the icons and the back roads.
The icons are all there, service was mostly good but some of the infrastructure was looking decidedly tired and away from the icons – empty. Most of the tourism entities were either staffed by Caucasian or international transients. While hyped up with great marketing the cultural interaction was limited, oversold and didn’t address many of the basics of great visitor experiences.
Beyond the icons it wasn’t to hard to find another story. Hints of elitism, exclusion and then poverty and well… another world one which most New Zealanders aren’t aware of..
It’s sometimes useful to look beyond our initial impressions, and to reflect on how tourism could provide a positive contribution to all in it’s community.
Ka kite ano
Tane Mahuta – a Northland / Te Tai Tokerau icon
NZx October 14th : Crunch summer ahead
Naumai
All the indications are that this will be a crunch summer for tourism in New Zealand.
Reports suggest many accommodation providers are full, attractions run the risk of turning people away and transport providers (particularly rental providers) have invested in new stock.
The likelihood is that international visitors will be here in increasing numbers, particularly in iconic locations. Will that create a problem with New Zealand domestic visitors seeking the relatively uncrowded experience they have been accustomed too?
Ship Cove/Meretoto in Queen Charlotte Sound is a case in point. Easily accessible by scheduled boat services, private vessel and some international cruise ships, the iconic site maybe under threat from sheer numbers this summer. The track (and it certainly isn’t of a great standard) is often quiet but from November to March that changes. At any one time the narrow track can be full of visitors, both domestic and international, throughout the day. At what stage is the visitor experience compromised?
Solutions to this “nice to have” problem are complex. Tourism New Zealand is moving to focus marketing efforts on the shoulder season, the conversation around taxing international visitors is gaining momentum and both traditional media and social media are focusing on the opportunities.
Ka kite ano
Ship Cove / Meretoto, Marlborough Sounds
NZx 9th September: sustainable tourism in NZ communities
Naumai
With the focus on the Rugby World Cup it is probably an appropriate time to review just how sustainable many of our tourism communities are. What happens after the hype has died away?
There are parallels between the Cup, a new tourism venture or a new hot destination arriving on the scene with a hiss and a roar. Many precious dollars are spent on marketing and public relations. A year, maybe two or three at the most, and the venture or destination has either gone, disappeared or lost it’s former dominance.
Some ventures or communities even fail to recognise the inherent opportunity in their destination.
Sustainable tourism is all about engaging, measuring, re-inventing and celebrating the integration of a community’s visitor attributes.
While some might argue that NZ should focus on a straight commodity driven economy, we believe tourism is the most sustainable way forward for a small country at the bottom of the world, for a nation literally on the “edge”.
At last a group of us have developed an approach to determine the key elements for developing a sustainable tourism community. This practical framework has been trialed in two destinations and clearly outlines some pathways forward for both. Want to know more – contact us now!
Ka kite ano
Malcolm