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Towards 2010 – Achieving the Tourism Strategy’s
Vision
The New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010 (NZTS
2010) was developed around a vision for the tourism sector to 2010:
"In 2010, visitors and their host communities understand and
embrace the spirit of manaakitanga (hospitality) while,New Zealanders’
environment and culture is conserved and sustained in the spirit of
kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and, tourism is a vibrant and significant
contributor to the economic development of New Zealand."
But how has the Strategy influenced the tourism sector in New Zealand
since its release two years ago?
To answer these questions a selection of industry leaders were asked to
describe what the Strategy means for their work. Here’s what they said.
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"Visitors to New Zealand
measure their experience based on the genuine warmth and welcome they
receive while in our beautiful country. New Zealanders on the other hand
welcome and host visitors because of their contribution to enhancing and
maintaining our quality of life.
This requires a fine balance; when it works it can
create an unforgettable experience for the visitor and real benefit for
the host community. To get this balance right is to create a sustainable
future for both visitor and host community.
Since the strategy was released two years ago, Kaikoura
has hosted over 1 million visitors motivated by the ability to discover
and explore a magical part of NewZealand. It is the same magic that makes
locals call Kaikoura home.
As a community company, Whale Watch Kaikoura
values and appreciates that our future is dependent on ensuring the magic
never disappears. If it did, who would want to come and more importantly
who would want to call Kaikoura home?
The Tourism Strategy 2010 was founded on a very simple
vision that if realised would make New Zealand a better place for both
visitors and locals. It addresses the fine balance of competing interests,
priorities and time frames. The Strategy steers us through the many
challenges without losing sight of its vision. To manaakitanga
(value) our visitors, while exercising kaitiakitanga
(responsibility) for Aotearoa (New Zealand).
For Whale Watch Kaikoura this vision is also our vision of the future.
After two years it is becoming more real and as each day goes by we are
getting closer… roll on 2010."
Wally Stone
Chief Executive, Whale Watch Kaikoura
Chairman, Tourism New Zealand
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"The Tourism Strategy Group was well aware
that finalising the Strategy was a beginning, not an end. I believe the
industry has benefited not only from the implementation of the various
Strategy recommendations but also from the process itself.
Tourism competes on the basis of a unique product. It is a product that
is made up of not only every element of scenery in New Zealand and every
activity but also, in fact, every New Zealander.
As a consequence it is vital if we are to continue to be successful as a
destination that all stakeholders subscribe to a mutually acceptable
approach.
I believe one of the enduring benefits of the Strategy is that its
development saw representatives of a wide range of industry stakeholders
bring to the table their (at times conflicting) views.
For a strategy to be agreed we all needed to increase our level of
understanding of, and empathy for, the views of others. This was
beneficial to the industry at the time, and in my view has continued to
be so since."
Evan Davies
Managing Director, Sky City
Chair of the Tourism Strategy Group
(The TSG developed
the Strategy.)
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"Strategy 2010 is still the most important source
of real and practical action to improve the value of tourism in the public
and private sectors. There is no leadership outside of the Strategy."
John Moriarty
Chief Executive,
TIANZ
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"The capability of the tourism industry has been
markedly enhanced since the release of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy
2010 (NZTS 2010) and in the key enabling area of research and statistics,
we are much better off.
We have a fully funded set of data, the TRCNZ's
website provides "one-stop-shop" access to this data, there is a
growing analytical capability and we have mechanisms for determining
sector-wide research priorities.
But more needs to be done. We need to develop the
capability to generate answers to the questions being asked about yield,
optimal tourism types, sustainability and balancing of stakeholder
interests. We need to get better at generating knowledge about how tourism
can best contribute for New Zealand.
I am conscious that as we improve the quality of
available information, we build demand for better and more specific
information. Our successes increase demands upon us, and this is a
virtuous cycle that the NZTS 2010 has been key to setting in train."
Sean Murray
Chairman, Tourism Research Council New Zealand
Group GM Commercial, Tourism Holdings Limited
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"Tourism’s importance in this country was
recognised 100 years ago, as we became the first country in the world with
a national tourism organisation.
As tourism’s contribution to the New Zealand economy increased, it was vital for the industry and
government to consider the future of the sector and determine where we
wanted to be. The New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010, developed in
partnership between industry and government, was the beginning of this
process.
For Tourism New Zealand, the issues and ideas raised in
the Strategy became the driving force for the research and development of
the concept of New Zealand’s ideal or "interactive traveller".
Although they make up a small percentage of overall global tourists,
interactive travellers are still a sizeable market for our country. They
are environmentally and culturally aware, and seek authentic experiences.
Their interest in travelling outside traditional holiday seasons and to
the regions make them valuable for spreading the benefits of tourism
throughout New Zealand.
In the four years since the 100% Pure New Zealand
campaign was launched, global competition for the tourism dollar has
become ever fiercer. The Strategy reinforces the need to target our
visitors to enable the tourism industry to remain a sustainable force for
the future. The Strategy will remain a vital driver for further
development of our global marketing campaign."
George Hickton
Chief Executive,
Tourism New Zealand
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"The Tourism Strategy
2010, apart from being the catalyst for the creation of the Ministry of
Tourism, has given the sector a coherent voice and a clear sense of
direction.
New partnerships have been established through the
development and implementation of the Strategy, between Government , local
Government and the sector. These which will go from strength to strength
as the implementation of the strategy is seen as a common direction for
all. continues.
With a united tourism sector the importance of tourism
to the economy becomes much more apparent and with this, comes a higher
level of recognition and commitment.
The Strategy provides a clear template for future
commitments of resources. Increasingly these investments will be focussed
on laying the foundations for long termlong-term development of the sector
to ensure that the vision of sustainable tourism is realised.
With a unified sense of purpose, and with all playing
their part, the sector is well on track to achieving the vision of the
Tourism Strategy 2010."
Ray Salter
General Manager
Ministry of Tourism
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