Implementing the Tourism Strategy

Considerable work in the tourism sector over the past two years has gone into implementing aspects of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010.

Some work has been targeted at activating Strategy recommendations. Other achievements have resulted from continual improvement driven by business imperatives, best practice benchmarking or other factors.

In this section, key achievements are grouped around six broad themes, representing core priorities for tourism in New Zealand. Boundaries between these themes are not always clear. Work across them is mutually reinforcing and collectively will lead towards achieving the Strategy’s vision.

The themes are:

• Quality
• Marketing
• Capability
• Sustainability
• Community
• Alignment

Quality 

The NZTS 2010 said –

New Zealand markets itself as a 100% Pure, quality experience. To deliver on this promise to our customers, the tourism sector must focus on quality from product inception to delivery. Quality is essential to business profitability, particularly because New Zealand is too small and distant to profit from lowest-common denominator, volume-based tourism.

Tourism is different from many other key sectors of New Zealand’s economy, because it is not, and should never become, commodity-based. New Zealand tourism should be a price-maker, not a price-taker. This position can only be maintained if our visitor experience is at a consistently high standard.

The pursuit of ever-higher quality standards across the sector has driven some exciting developments since the Strategy’s release.

Qualmark - The mark of quality

Qualmark has been significantly expanded and repositioned as New Zealand tourism’s official quality mark. Three new categories have been added to the traditional accommodation ratings: visitor activities, visitor transport and visitor services.

Recognising that quality starts in the systems and practices that generate the product, a national quality assurance framework has been developed. Industry best-practice measures are used for everything from visitor safety to staff training.

In this way the Qualmark assessment criteria are a blueprint for success in tourism today. Virtually every type of tourism business can now become licensed to use "The QualmarkTM" – from diving to hiking, shops to cafes, theme rides to heritage homes. Qualmark certification provides visitors with independent assurance that they can book and buy with confidence from a professional and trustworthy operator.

Geoff Ensor, Tourist Flight Operators (NZ) Co-ordinator, says Qualmark has been pivotal to the group’s success.

The Visitor Information Network (VIN) was relaunched in 2002 with a new brand, i-SITE, and promoted as the official source of quality, independent and current information for travellers.

The bar has been lifted through higher membership standards and continuous training to improve staff knowledge and customer service standards. A significant Government investment has facilitated the rapid re-branding of 60 of our leading VIN centres.

The new brand, i-SITE, uses the internationally recognisable ‘i’ symbol for information, in combination with New Zealand’s fern mark, to link to Tourism New Zealand’s international marketing and Qualmark. Visitors can now recognise the silver fern as the tourism brand, linking our destination marketing, quality assurance and visitor information centres.

Toi Iho – the Maori-made mark

Toi Iho is a registered trademark to promote authentic, quality Maori arts and crafts, and ensure Maori artists retain control of their cultural heritage.

Te Waka Toi, the Maori Arts Board of Creative New Zealand, developed the mark in consultation with Maori artists. Maori artists, retailers and galleries who wish to use the mark can apply to Creative New Zealand.

A quality assessment module for Maori cultural product is being developed by Qualmark in partnership with Government agencies and Maori operators. This will form part of the overall quality endorsement system and be applicable to a wide range of tourism product.

Challenges

To ensure that New Zealand continues to meet the quality expectations of our visitors the Strategy recommended:

• Implementation by Qualmark of a quality brand, sector standards and a national accreditation framework
• Enhancing the VIN to provide objective information and travel services
• The development of a Maori mark of authenticity.

Through the development of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010, the tourism industry in New Zealand expressed its need for a robust vehicles to ensure quality in the delivery of tourism product. The sector has responded and considerable public and private investment has meant the expansion of structures and systems to support the delivery of quality tourism products to our visitors.

But the existence of structures alone does not meet the challenge of the Strategy’s vision. The organisations responsible for Qualmark, VIN and Toi Iho must continue to ensure they meet the needs of individual operators and the collective needs of the industry. The systems must be available and accessible to operators, add value to the product and deliver the promised benefits in business improvement and customer satisfaction.

Operators must, in response, make their own investments in quality to ensure that the whole industry delivers on the quality promise underpinning the Strategy.

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Marketing

The NZTS 2010 said –

"The total experience New Zealand has to offer is unique, but strong branding and marketing will be required if New Zealand is to be a leading tourism destination in the future.

New Zealand must be proactive if it is to hold and grow its international market share and to encourage New Zealanders to holiday at home. Strategies are required to leverage limited tourism marketing expenditure more effectively and ensure our position doesn’t erode."

Tourism New Zealand’s marketing activity is principally through its global campaign – 100% Pure New Zealand. Now in its fourth year, the campaign conveys the unique experience visitors can enjoy in New Zealand. This includes:

• New Zealand’s culture - Maori, contemporary arts, cuisine and fashion;
• the people;
• adventures set in a spectacular landscape.

100% Pure New Zealand – a winning campaign

New Zealand is a very small player in a large global market, so Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) uses all the marketing tools it can to give us a voice in the international tourism marketplace.

By infusing the 100% Pure global marketing campaign through all its activity, Tourism New Zealand has created a compelling message about what New Zealand has to offer. And it’s working.

Research has shown that a high percentage of long-haul travellers associate New Zealand with the brand values of the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign. The campaign is cutting through the proliferation of tourism offerings to gain world attention.

Since Tourism New Zealand launched the 100% Pure campaign in 1999, tourism’s foreign exchange earnings and visitor numbers have reached all-time highs. While these numbers have been affected by world events, New Zealand has bounced back ahead of most other destinations.

The ‘Interactive Traveller’ – cutting edge marketing

Identifying New Zealand’s ideal customer is a strong focus for Tourism New Zealand. Labelled the ‘Interactive Traveller’, TNZ is focusing on marketing our product to those whose motivations best match the New Zealand tourism offering. The ‘Interactive Traveller’ is someone who:

• Consumes a wide range of tourism products and services
• Seeks out new experiences where they can engage and interact with natural, social and cultural environments
• Is keen to share these experiences with others
• Respects the environment, cultural and societal values of others
• Is considered a leader by his/her peers
• Uses technology to enhance their lives
• Values authentic products/experiences.

The ‘Interactive Traveller’ concept is about applying the values, such as sustainability, articulated in the New Zealand Tourism Strategy to TNZ’s international marketing work.

In this way Tourism New Zealand is helping future-proof the New Zealand tourism experience by actively seeking visitors who will enjoy and acknowledge our environment, values and culture.

Inbound Tour Operators' Council members pursue high value, niche tourism

This is a good example of taking on board the strategy's message on the benefits of high value, niche tourism. In 2002 one of ITOC's member companies was asked to prepare an itinerary for a group of US-based lighthouse enthusiasts.

The brief was simple: 'We want to research the history of light stations, lightships and related aids of navigation. We want to educate, inform and entertain our society members who are interested in lighthouses, past and present'.

The company created a touring schedule that incorporated many of New Zealand's tourism highlights as well as unique lighthouse experiences. Highlights included remote lighthouses which had to be accessed by charter boat, across Department of Conservation or Private land by 4WD (and in one case, a farmer's tractor!), and specialist guest speakers.

The tour was a great success and the group showed it's appreciation by rewarding the company with a certificate of 'US Lighthouse Society Efficiency'.

Cultural tourism – a central part of the New Zealand experience

New Zealand’s clean green image continues to be a key attraction for international visitors. We sometimes overlook the importance of the cultural experience.

Research into the demand for cultural tourism by visitors has shown that it is the anticipation of interaction with New Zealanders that differentiates us from similar destinations and adds richness to the visitor experience. 

The ‘Interactive Traveller’ has a strong appreciation of cultural experiences and Tourism New Zealand now includes culture in the brand promise. In support of this, a significant investment in researching demand for cultural tourism product will provide operators with information on just what our international visitors want to experience.

To ensure that the cultural tourism experiences New Zealand offers are enhanced, four regions that have established their cultural tourism product will develop and implement cultural tourism development plans with assistance from the Government’s Strategy implementation fund.

Challenges

To market and manage a world-class visitor experience, the Strategy recommended:

• Wider adoption of distinctive branding through use of the New Zealand fern mark
• A greater focus on cultural tourism opportunities and products to differentiate New Zealand in the global marketplace
• A closer alignment between destination marketing and destination management.

New Zealand now welcomes more than two million visitors a year. This number will increase – our challenge is to focus on how New Zealand can get the greatest economic benefit from our international visitors. This does not mean major change. Research shows the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign is working well offshore.

It does mean we need to focus on creating maximum benefit for New Zealanders from the tourism industry while sustaining the experiences and environments that attract visitors. This means identifying the type of people we want to attract – those who value what New Zealand offers, and who don’t impact negatively on New Zealand while they visit. This work is currently under way.

We need greater use of 100% Pure by regions and companies. This requires strong relationships, open communications and agreement to the common vision for New Zealand’s brand position.

It is vital that destination management and destination marketing are working towards the same vision for the industry in New Zealand. Stakeholders are making efforts to ensure this occurs and it is crucial that these efforts continue.

This demands a continuation of effective communication between a wider range of stakeholders, such as local government, and co-operation between central government’s tourism marketing and policy agencies (Tourism New Zealand and the Ministry of Tourism).

Capability

NZTS 2010 said –

"The overwhelming majority of New Zealand tourism operators are small family owned businesses. This results in sector and organisational inefficiencies, a lack of shared leading practice models and diseconomies of scale.

There are key capability gaps for SMEs in business, people management and administration skills. Although there are numerous industry training programmes available, it is difficult for smaller operators to access these.

Obstacles include pressures of seasonality, inability to ‘leave the shop’, inequity between government funding for pre- and post-employment training and turnover of tourism sector employees."

Building core business capability is fundamental to the overall strength of our tourism industry and is a strong focus of the Tourism Strategy.

There has been real progress across the sector, with medium-sized players in particular investing in people, plant and better long-term planning. Many tourism operators have shifted from a cash business mindset to a more comprehensive approach.

TIANZ – Improving Tourism’s Value to New Zealand

The Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIANZ) has made a substantial, focused effort to support members in adopting business best practice across their operations.

A key tool has been the Business Builder CD-Rom resource (see box). The Business Builder is one component of a wider effort by TIANZ to improve the net worth of tourism to New Zealand. For example, financial and economic templates have been introduced as criteria for assessing entries for the New Zealand Tourism Awards, to encourage operators to upgrade their business information systems.

TIANZ is encouraging clustering within the tourism sector, with a presentation in its 2002 regional seminar series. Capital investment and utilisation are key components in capability.

TIANZ has started a project to gauge the amount of capital invested in the New Zealand tourism industry. This information will be used to assess whether capital is being used effectively and to develop strategies to make better use of it.

Tourism business tools – Tourism Business Builder CD-Rom

The Strategy recommended that the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIANZ) deliver by the end of 2002 a range of business tools for use by small and medium-sized tourism operators. In August 2002, TIANZ launched the Tourism Business-Builder CD-Rom, a self-paced learning system for TIANZ members.

The Business Builder is a simple, effective resource for building a new, or expanding an existing, tourism business. It can be run on-site, so there’s no need for travel to workshops or courses. Eight learning modules follow the path of business, from forming ideas and planning through to promotion and analysing impacts.

The modules’ interactive workbooks generate tailored business reports linked to existing industry programmes including Qualmark ratings, Green Globe 21, Industry New Zealand and TIANZ mentoring, and New Zealand Tourism Awards criteria.

In keeping with the Strategy’s emphasis on sustainability, the Business Builder covers a triple bottom line approach to tourism, incorporating economic, environmental and social factors. The Tourism Business Builder is reviewed and updated regularly so it stays relevant.

The Tourism Business-Builder has been so well received that TIANZ is working with Industry New Zealand to explore options for wider distribution of the package later in 2003. 

The Importance of Yield

International events such as the war in Iraq and the SARS outbreak can affect tourism numbers and change the mix of international and domestic clients. In such an environment the focus must remain on developing the capability of the sector to plan for and work through these challenges.

We can’t predict the next challenge, but we do know there will be more of them ahead. The industry is increasingly aware of the importance of yield in growing a stronger sector. Businesses are being encouraged to hold pricing firm, and to move up the value chain in pricing their products.

He Kete Tapoi Maori

He Kete Tapoi Maori, a tourism business resource kit targeted at new and existing Maori tourism operators, adds another dimension to capability building. He Kete provides information about key tourism stakeholders, case studies of successful Maori tourism operations and lists organisations that can help aspiring operators.

He Kete is backed by hands-on assistance from Community Employment Group (CEG) field staff throughout New Zealand. CEG staff provide a one-stop shop service to help build capacity and provide assistance throughout the development stage.

The Tourism Strategy identified a skilled workforce as crucial to the long-term success of the New Zealand tourism sector. Traditionally, however, the tourism sector has not invested sufficiently in developing its human resources. A more skilled, knowledgeable tourism workforce will enhance the quality of our tourism product and deliver a better visitor experience.

The Strategy also acknowledged a lack of alignment between future workforce needs and available training.

Upskilling the Tourism Workforce

TIANZ is working with industry training organisations like the Aviation, Tourism, Travel and Training Organisation (ATTTO) and the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) to ensure that New Zealand is able to produce the skills the tourism industry will need over the next decade to meet the demands of the sector.

In 2002, SkillNZ recognised tourism industry advocacy through an increased contribution to ATTTO, including a contract to provide modern apprenticeship co-ordination services for tourism. 

The Modern Apprenticeship scheme offers young people a chance for employment-based training combined with nationally recognised qualifications. Apprenticeship co-ordinators help employers recruit and manage young people, and support apprentices through mentoring.

Recognising the Strategy’s emphasis on the skill base of the tourism sector, the Government contracted for 82 Modern Apprentices in the industry by June 2003.

TIANZ is developing a tourism workforce planning document to assess the skills the industry will need over the coming decade and suggest how these could be supplied.

Research

Research is critical to developing the capability of the New Zealand tourism industry. The Strategy identified significant hurdles to maximising the value that tourism research and development can add to the tourism sector. 

Since the release of the Strategy, the Government has focused on tackling these issues. As a result, important progress has been made with the sector which is now much better served by comprehensive and accessible research and information.

Tourism Research Council of New Zealand

The Strategy emphasised the importance of better access to and use of high-quality tourism research and development (R&D) to facilitate well-informed decisions. R&D was recognised as a key ‘enabler’ of the tourism sector.

The R&D recommendations included:

• funding the ongoing collection of the core tourism data set
• improving the consistency, integration and dissemination of the core data
• consolidating the data set in one organisation
• improving the levels of funding applied to tourism research.

Substantive progress has been made. Firstly, the Tourism Research Council New Zealand (TRCNZ), with the support of the Ministry of Tourism, has cemented its position as the central point of access for quality information, research and forecasts. New Zealand now has one body with overall responsibility for the provision of tourism information and for ensuring the integration of the separate data elements. 

Government support of the TRCNZ programme has been the key. As a result, we now have a fully funded core tourism dataset, an extensive forecasting programme, a common data management programme in place and a website launched that provides comprehensive access to the TRCNZ outputs (refer www.trcnz.govt.nz). In addition, the user base of this resource is building substantially. 

The way the TRCNZ operates as a public / private sector advisory body is an example of the ongoing commitment of industry and government to enhancing overall outcomes for tourism.

This partnership approach was key in developing the NZTS 2010 and its ongoing application through the TRCNZ provides considerable confidence that the TRCNZ programme will continue to deliver outputs to meet a wide range of user needs.

Challenges

To improve the capability of the industry the Strategy recommended:

• TIANZ work with industry to develop tourism business tools for use by Small and Medium Enterprises (SME)
• TIANZ lead initiatives to promote pricing and yield management strategies, and operators increase their use of such strategies and premium pricing opportunities
• A five-year commitment for funding the core tourism data set, with a single organisation accountable for the data set and development of the R&D programme, and an improvement in the share of public research funding secured for tourism
• Refinements to tourism training to better meet SME needs, reduce the number of providers and secure a greater share of available industry training funding.

The tourism industry in New Zealand comprises over 16,000 individual businesses. To ensure each business delivers a product that meets the marketing promise and contributes to developing our economy, business owners must employ best practice in every aspect of their operations.

They need ready access to information and statistics that are directly relevant to the day-to-day and strategic business decisions they must make. Staff with the appropriate skills must be available.

We have only just started building industry capability. Only 25% of tourism companies have the TIANZ Business-Builder. The challenge– is to extend this. Investment in education through the Modern Apprenticeships scheme will add 82 skilled employees this year to an industry that directly employs an estimated 94,000 and indirectly employs a further 62,000 full-time workers. Eighty two is a good start, but a concerted effort is required between now and 2010 to ensure that the industry has access to a labour force that will meet its requirements.

In order to inform decision-making processes in tourism, it is essential that quality research and data is available. This must be authoritative and meet user requirements, particularly in terms of timeliness and specificity.

The TRCNZ has made significant progress but challenges remain, particularly with the provision of applied research. The industry also has to become better at using existing information and identifying its requirements for better information. The provision of this information should be a demand-driven exercise based upon a strong research culture in tourism.

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Sustainability

The NZTS 2010 said -

"Sustainable development is critical as otherwise the benefits of tourism will be short lived. This will require greater integration between destination management and destination marketing than has been the case to date.

It will also require all sector participants to embrace the values of manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga."

In particular the Strategy noted that -

"the natural environment is fundamental to the New Zealand brand..." and set the challenge of having "all operators and organisations recognising the value of the natural environment and actively protecting, supporting and promoting its sustainability as part of what they do."

Definitions of sustainable tourism provoke everything from heated debate to indifference across the industry. The New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010 defines sustainability as:

Whether or not you agree with the words, New Zealand’s beautiful and diverse natural environment is a key drawcard for our international visitors. The tourism sector must play its part in ensuring this environment is sustained.

Increasingly, our visitors expect not only a pristine environment, but also clear evidence that the tourism services they consume while in New Zealand are actively contributing to keeping it that way. Many visitors want to play their part; they look for recycling bins for rubbish, are happy to re-use hotel towels and prefer to hire energy-efficient cars.

Sustainability also encompasses factors like community support for tourism, quality of community leadership, sound destination management and the provision of infrastructure.

Some tourism industry players have made major strides towards the goal of actively protecting, supporting and promoting sustainability. Others have not. Many operators would like to do more, but are uncertain about where to begin, and lack time to investigate the options.

There is some nervousness about whether sustainability represents simply another business cost, which small and medium-sized enterprises may feel they can ill-afford.

Sustainable tourism certification – Green Globe 21

The Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIANZ) recognised early on that certification would be a useful tool for operators wanting to tackle the sustainability challenge.

With financial assistance from the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Tourism, TIANZ has strongly promoted the Green Globe 21 sustainable tourism certification programme to the New Zealand industry.

To achieve Green Globe 21 certification operators adopt detailed environmental planning and management systems and are independently audited against environmental performance targets.

The number of Green Globe 21 benchmarked (or benchmarking) tourism operators in New Zealand grew from 4 in 2001 to 72 in 2003, with 1 certified business and 57 affiliated operators. Kaikoura was benchmarked as a Green Globe 21 sustainable tourism community in 2002.

Tourism Industry Association New Zealand – sustainability by example

To support its Green Globe work, TIANZ is encouraging tourism operators to improve their environmental management through the 2003 regional seminar programme.

These meetings incorporate a sustainability theme including discussion on developing environmental plans for businesses. Tourism’s reliance on transport makes it a high energy-use sector, that must address the challenges laid down by the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. The tourism industry has begun to tackle this process.

TIANZ has researched the implications of Kyoto for the tourism sector, advised operators and provided input to the development of climate change policy. To offer an example to the industry (and other sector groups), TIANZ had the greenhouse gas emissions from the New Zealand Tourism Conference and its annual roadshows calculated, then contributed through the EBEX 21 programme to the restoration of native bush to offset the environmental impact.

The Conservation Estate – the jewel in New Zealand tourism’s crown

Most of New Zealand’s tourism customers spend time enjoying our conservation estate. Whether stopping at scenic viewing sites along the Milford Road or spending days tramping in the bush, these interactions are a focal point of a visit to New Zealand.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) manages many of our popular destinations, providing for visitors a range of facilities such as tracks and visitor centres. DOC also manages opportunities for other operators to provide services to visitors: over 1,100 tourism operators hold concessions from DOC for activities, ranging from guided walks and river rafting to skiing.

DOC has placed a high priority on implementing relevant parts of the Tourism Strategy. A designated visitor steering group is leading the Department’s response, partnering with the Ministry of Tourism and other agencies to co-ordinate activities (see box).

Infrastructure is critical to ensuring a quality experience for our visitors. All international and domestic tourists use roads, road signs, water and sewerage systems, and public toilets. Important management issues arise when visitor impacts are perceived to affect residents’ quality of service.

Responsibility for providing and maintaining infrastructure is spread across a range of organisations, including local government, Transit New Zealand, other central government agencies, regional tourism organisations (RTOs) and tourism operators. The large number of agencies creates a challenging environment in which to meet the Strategy’s recommendation of confirming and sustaining our commitment to required infrastructure.

Tourism Infrastructure – a test of sustainability

Because the groups providing and controlling infrastructure are so varied, the Ministry of Tourism (TMT) has a central role.

In co-operation with the Ministry of Economic Development, TMT is developing a central government policy position on the issues arising for local authorities with low rating bases and high tourism flows in the sustainable provision of core local infrastructure. This issue received particular attention at Local Government New Zealand’s National Tourism Symposium in 2002.

The Ministry of Tourism is also leading a three-year (2003-06) research project to produce high-quality understandings about future tourism infrastructure requirements.

The project will give a sound basis for planning, policy and investment by central and local government agencies, and will support sustainable infrastructure decisions. A range of agencies is represented on the project steering group. TIANZ contributed to the broader policy debate through the release in 2002 of a paper on waste and wastewater.

The Department of Conservation and the Tourism Strategy

A DOC Visitor Management Steering Group has been established with the role of ensuring an integrated and consistent approach towards visitor management across the organisation and maintaining and enhancing relationships with the wider tourism industry. Visitors will be encouraged to become involved in recreation and to enjoy protected areas, consistent with the protection of natural heritage values.

A range of projects has been initiated in response to the Strategy. One involves establishing a clearer picture of how many people visit particular sites, what their effects are and whether they are satisfied with available facilities.

DOC's visitor monitoring system has been refined to gather and apply this data to the management of visitor impacts. DOC is integrating its visitor data with core tourism surveys to enable forecasting of tourism flows to key conservation sites.

Another DOC project directly relevant to the tourism sector involves enhancing the concessions system to improve environmental impact assessment procedures for new applications, better matching the scale and effects of proposed activities with the concession process.

Facilities are a key aspect of DOC's services for visitors. As such, the Government has provided $350 million over 10 years for DOC to upgrade visitor infrastructure, effectively doubling the budget for maintenance of huts, tracks and other facilities.

A public consultation process will gather community input on managing future recreational opportunities and the facilities needed to support them. The first in a series of national meetings about this process was held in March 2003, with the next planned for June. 

Challenges

To secure and conserve a long term future, the Strategy recommended:

• Promoting environmental efficiency and management systems to operators to achieve agreed international benchmarks by 2010
• Monitoring and managing visitor impacts, and developing and maintaining recreational facilities in the conservation estate;
• Commitment to providing the infrastructure required to support tourism’s growth and development.

Green Globe 21 has only recently begun to penetrate the New Zealand tourism product range. As a tool to improve business practice and deliver on our promise of an environmentally responsible destination, it offers great benefits.

Much greater uptake by operators is required to ensure Green Globe 21 gains critical mass. Green Globe Asia Pacific and TIANZ must ensure that those who have invested in membership get the customer recognition and associated value.

With increased pressure on our conservation estate from domestic and international visitors and residents, the capacity of the environment and management systems is being tested. In the conservation community, some people hold the view that tourism is a free-rider, using a public product for private gain and returning little.

This is not true in many instances, but tourism as an industry – both domestic and international visitors – must be seen to contribute positively to the values underpinning our conservation estate.

Big questions surround the current and projected infrastructure requirements of the burgeoning tourism industry. Who benefits from tourism? Who should provide the infrastructure, using what funding mechanisms?

Investigation and debate has begun with initiatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Local Government New Zealand and RTOs, but this complicated issue involves strongly held views. Robust analysis and debate is needed to ensure the industry is sustainably supported by the infrastructure it needs.

Community

The NZTS 2010 said -

"The friendliness of the New Zealand people is one of our differentiators, but not all welcome tourism activity. While some people will continue to resist tourism, increasing awareness of the benefits of tourism (for instance the economic returns it delivers, how it impacts the environment) should lessen the resistance amongst some.

Support for tourism at the community level will be critical to ensuring that the required infrastructure to support tourism is in place, and that destination management and destination marketing are linked so that the benefits of tourism outweigh the costs at a community level."

Most Kiwis have seen, through personal or business experience, the enthusiasm of visitors about the welcome they receive in New Zealand. Many New Zealanders understand this reaction through comparisons with their own experiences when travelling elsewhere. International visitors undoubtedly find New Zealand friendly and welcoming – clearly a plus.

But not all New Zealanders feel positively about tourism. Some feel threatened, or consider the way of life they love may change in ways they do not want. Not all New Zealanders appreciate that tourism is something we – as a country and an economy – can’t do without. Tourism is a sector that reinforces our national values, not undermines them. 

It is not always understood that tourism includes not only international visitors on bus tours, but rural residents who visit town for a sports game or museum exhibition. Visitors, wherever they are from, bring increased prosperity to communities and broaden the economic base available for upgraded facilities or infrastructure.

We need to consider tourism as a national competency for New Zealanders and our communities. Tourism should be seen as something – like agriculture – which is woven into the fabric of our society and economy in a way that benefits us all, directly or indirectly. This links with the emphasis in the Strategy’s vision on manaakitanga – the Maori concept of hospitality and welcome for visitors.

Many New Zealand communities, businesses and individuals recognise and embrace tourism as an industry and way of life which can deliver what they want: jobs, income, new skills, investment in community infrastructure, a way to preserve environmental treasures, greater entertainment and recreation opportunities for families.

A number of communities now shape and are shaped by tourism. Since the Strategy’s release, there has been a range of positive developments in community responses to tourism.

Local government - the opinion-shapers

Local government responded to the Tourism Strategy with Postcards from Home – the Local Government Tourism Strategy, based on recognising the importance of tourism and the strong role for local government in ensuring communities get the most out of it.

Postcards from Home proposes specific projects based on key themes of interest to New Zealanders, including infrastructure, sustainable planning, and destination management.

With the support of the Ministry of Tourism, Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) will seek assistance for some of these projects from the Strategy implementation fund. LGNZ ran a series of awareness-raising events, including a National Symposium on local government and tourism, and training about tourism for Mayors, Councillors and key Council staff.

Implementation of the Local Government Act is likely to result in councils giving greater consideration to their role in economic development, and in some cases sustainable tourism will receive more attention.

Local government will continue to play a major role in providing amenities for its communities that are used by visitors and locals alike.

Regional Tourism Organisations – marketing the local product

Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) know their region’s product better than anyone else, and work closely with local government, tourism operators, Tourism New Zealand and communities to market it to a wider audience. Improved marketing should produce greater community prosperity and acceptance.

RTOs co-ordinated a detailed response to the NZTS 2010, proposing projects to improve their contribution to the sector through their new organisation, Regional Tourism Organisations New Zealand (see Alignment section).

The Minister of Tourism has agreed to partner RTONZ with financial support from Strategy implementation funds for a number of projects and will work with RTOs to develop institutional capability.

Maori tourism – participation at a local and regional level

The Strategy highlighted the need for increased Maori participation in tourism at all levels, including regional tourism planning, development and marketing.

A successful hui in May 2003 brought together Maori Regional Tourism Groups (MRTGs) and RTOs to share ideas and best practice on approaches to regional partnerships. Several MRTGs and RTOs have worked together for the benefit of their regions at large.

Maori have centuries of experience of living in communities in Aotearoa, and have unique knowledge of their regions, landscapes, histories and tikanga. This experience has much to contribute to tourism as a national competency for New Zealand.

Tourism New Zealand – taking its message to the community

Tourism New Zealand’s (TNZ) key role is to market New Zealand internationally as a tourist destination. But in recent years TNZ has also strengthened its work regionally and locally, working with community leaders to educate and inform about tourism.

Partnerships have been reinforced through seminars for councils about tourism, and how TNZ can work with RTOs and local visitor information offices to improve linkages between destination marketing and management.

The quality of the product TNZ markets internationally depends on the input of tourism operators and agencies at the community level, making these strengthened partnerships valuable for the whole tourism sector.

TIANZ Tourism Planning – a guide for communities

Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIANZ) recognised a gap in the resources available to residents of small communities interested in pursuing the opportunities offered by tourism. A 2002 tourism planning guide fills this gap, providing a step-by-step framework for developing a community tourism strategy.

Communities are encouraged to sustainably manage tourism in their area by defining a vision, identifying key stakeholders, taking stock of tourism resources and drawing up guidelines for future direction.

Challenges

To ensure communities support and benefit from tourism, the Strategy recommended:

• Local government build its commitment to tourism in terms of awareness-raising, planning and relationships
• RTOs work with partners to better align destination marketing and management
• Initiatives to increase understanding of and support for tourism among stakeholders
• Increased Maori representation in tourism at a regional and national level.

Tourism is on its way to becoming a national competency for New Zealand and New Zealanders. This remains our goal. The initiatives mentioned in this section have contributed to higher quality tourism thinking in our regions, greater community consciousness about the benefits of tourism, and improvements in the quality and quantity of tourism coverage in our media.

But there is some way to go. It is inconceivable that a school child in New Zealand today would grow up without a clear awareness of the importance of the dairy industry to New Zealand’s economy, history and social fabric. Until we can say the same of tourism, there is still work to be done in communities and by all stakeholders.

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Alignment

The NZTS 2010 said –

"The current structure has served the sector to this point. However, to achieve its objectives to 2010 a different structure is required, a sector structure which is designed to deliver: a partnership approach between the public and private sectors; effective partnership with and participation of Maori; a ‘whole of government approach’; strengthened links between operators, local government/RTOs and central government; and best alignment and deployment of sector resources."

The Strategy recommended a number of significant changes to reflect tourism’s importance to New Zealand, to better align effort across agencies and encourage partnerships across the sector.

The Ministry of Tourism – serving government and industry

On 1 January 2002 the Ministry of Tourism (TMT) replaced the Office of Tourism and Sport as the Government’s policy advice and research body. An increase in funding helped to enhance the presence and profile of the Ministry.

The Ministry is involved with policy development, research and Strategy implementation in areas including cultural tourism, sustainability, Maori tourism, infrastructure, major events, and support for initiatives from regional tourism organisations and local government.

The Ministry makes recommendations to the Minister on initiatives to be funded from the $2.5 million set aside each year by the Government for implementation of the Strategy.

The responsibility for the procurement of the core tourism data set now sits solely with the Ministry of Tourism following the transfer of the International Visitor Survey and International Visitor Arrivals from Tourism New Zealand.

This has allowed the Tourism Research Council New Zealand to provide advice relating to the purchase of the data, particularly to drive quality and integration enhancements, and to enhance dissemination of outputs to users through the Council’s website at www.trcnz.govt.nz.

Tourism New Zealand

Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) was given an enhanced partnership mandate to guide its international promotion of New Zealand as a tourism destination. The private sector is now formally consulted on TNZ’s proposed strategies, plans and projects. Through publicly advertised vacancies, tourism stakeholders are invited to nominate appointments to the New Zealand Tourism Board.

RTONZ – collective action by regional tourism

The Strategy provided the catalyst for Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) to form RTONZ, Regional Tourism Organisations New Zealand, to enhance collective RTO activity, ensure consistency and raise capability. RTONZ has several projects to increase efficiencies, and improve governance models, research and monitoring at regional levels, and advocacy and co-ordination with TNZ for offshore marketing.

Maori Regional Tourism Groups funding boost

Since the Strategy’s release in 2001 several additional Maori Regional Tourism Groups (MRTGs) have been formed, including ones based in Taranaki, the East Coast, Auckland and the central North Island.

The Government has provided a significant funding commitment to help MRTGs define and implement their strategic directions. Te Puni Kokiri is administering almost $1 million of Government funding over three years to help MRTGs develop and strengthen their relationships with RTOs.

The improvement in alignment has been demonstrated in the offshore activities of our tourism companies and promoters as shown by New Zealand’s response to the Japanese reaction to the events of September 11, 2001. Government and the private sector acted collectively to identify a problem, form an action plan and follow through with successful implementation.

With an underlying structure that provides for effective partnerships, a whole-of-government approach and better alignment of sector resources, tourism growth will be sustained.

Taken together, the changes have helped improve relationships and established commonality of purpose across the tourism sector. These changes involved significant work over the past two years, and have enhanced the machinery by which the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010 is delivered.

Challenges

To maximise the ability of the industry to reach strategy goals the Strategy recommended:

• Clarifying government agency roles and increasing capability and capacity to meet industry needs and expectations
• Concentrating the core tourism data set with one agency to improve its value to the sector
• Improving RTOs’ structure, functions and capabilities to enable them to increase their effectiveness in the sector
• Closer partnerships between Maori and RTOs’ for regional tourism planning, marketing and management.

There is certainly much greater alignment in the industry today than when the Strategy was launched. Roles have been clarified and, in many cases, funding boosted. National and regional bodies are communicating more effectively and working together on common issues.

But alignment is not an end in itself. We must use these newly aligned structures to address the impediments and capitalise on the opportunities facing the industry. Some good examples are emerging but more effort is needed to ensure this alignment extends through all aspects of operations throughout all aspects of the industry.

The importance of alignment becomes most apparent in times of difficulty. New Zealand’s response to the SARS issue has seen greater co-operation between key organisations in tourism, enabling a more powerful tourism viewpoint to be communicated to other agencies involved.

Relationships that will help the tourism industry take time and commitment to build and maintain. Our major challenges are to keep the relationships strong, and ensure collective outcomes remain focused on implementing the Tourism Strategy’s vision.