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Sustainable Tourism Study Tour

7th June – 13th July 2008
NOT MFE POLICY, VIEWS OF AUTHOR ONLY

1. Purpose

Tourism’s size, success and potential to transform our economy means it is a priority sector for government attention. It contributes nine percent of New Zealand’s GDP, close to twenty percent ($8.8 billion) of our export earnings, and is responsible for about one in every ten jobs. It is a fast-growing sector that the government values as a leading contributor to a sustainable New Zealand economy. Our clean, green, 100% Pure New Zealand branding is priceless positioning and it is important that we are proactive in gathering market intelligence to stay ahead of our global competitors.

The purpose of this project was to research:

  1. expectations of environmentally aware tourists in the UK and Germany, now and into the future; and
  2. sustainable tourism destinations offered by potential competitors, Costa Rica, Whistler, and Scotland. 

2. Methodology

Two organisations strongly promoting sustainable tourism in two of NZ’s key markets (Germany and the United Kingdom) and two leading sustainable tourism destinations (Scotland and Whistler, Canada) were chosen for study, following advice from leaders in the tourism sector, including Tourism NZ, the Ministry of Tourism and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).  The 4th meeting of the International Task Force for Sustainable Tourism Development, held in Costa Rica, was also attended and provided an opportunity to meet with other international sustainable tourism practitioners, including the World Tourism Organisation and Costa Rican tourism agencies.

3. Key learning points

Key learning points are detailed below:

  • Take a principled approach – know what you don’t want;
  • Need a crisis?
  • We have competition – inspiring/education;
  • Future markets/marketing;
  • Growing public understanding;
  • Major events.

3.1 Principled approach

There have been numerous statements that New Zealand considers sustainability to be important, including comments that step changes to current practice are needed.  However, this is unlikely to occur in the tourism sector until strong signals are sent about the need for a principled/best practice approach.  While the NZ Tourism Strategy 2015 clearly articulates a vision for tourism to be the leading contributor to a sustainable New Zealand economy, the sector would benefit from clear guidance on using this vision to determine also what is no longer acceptable, in terms of our national position and branding.   

The Resort Municipality of Whistler, Canada, has taken a strongly principled approach to the implementation of its 2020 vision. The vision has such strong community support and clarity on what success means for a sustainable Whistler into the future that it also defines what the community with not accept, including:

  • Relaxation of planning requirements to minimise construction costs for hotels and/or development of ‘big box’ retail outlets;
  • Development of an airport;
  • Hosting of fossil fuel based events.

Whistler holds steadfastly to its 2020 vision and refuses to be tempted by short-term economic benefits such as one-off investment, jobs or hosting of events that might return short-term financial benefits but which would compromise the longer-term vision and benefits for Whistler such as sustainable investment, a stable workforce, innovation and the ‘branding’ of Whistler as a world-class sustainable destination.

3.2 Need a crisis?

Response to an environmental crisis was a common element amongst those communities which are now most committed to sustainable development, for example:

  • Costa Rica had the highest de-forestation rate in world in 1940-1950 but has now turned this around to have the largest percentage of land being preserved in 2008;
  • Germans living today grew up with acid rain, forests dying and Chernobyl nuclear fallout;
  • Whistler’s awareness of the importance of protecting ecologically sensitive lands was prompted to some extent by realization in the early 1990’s that a planned golf course would encroach into wetlands which host considerable biodiversity and critical habitat for native species.  Whistler’s subsequent adoption of sustainability principles was prompted by a period of unprecedented rapid growth in the early to mid 1990’s.

NZ has an opportunity to learn from others, as Whistler has done, by carefully studying mistakes others have made and responding before it is too late.  A full colour, German carbon offsetting brochure clearly highlights NZ as the single worst country in the world for Germans to travel to, in terms of carbon emissions.  This underlines the need for ongoing action, commenced already by the newly established, Ministry of Tourism led, Climate Change (Travel Miles) Group. 

3.3 We have competition

Some private sector operators in Costa Rica already specifically aim to inspire visitors to change to more sustainable practices on returning home.  Some visitors to New Zealand have already improved the environmental sustainability of their behaviours on returning home to such an extent that their long haul travel to NZ has had a net positive impact on the environment.  This is a potentially key market niche which NZ is well placed to exploit in response to visitor ‘travel miles’ concerns while also bolstering our 100% Pure branding, improving financial yield and breaking our historical dependency on growth in visitor numbers to improve economic returns.  While NZ already inspires international visitors and is known as an environmental leader globally, we are not alone and could face significant competition in this niche, especially from a destination such as Costa Rica which has the added benefits of exotic wildlife, 4% of the planet’s biodiversity1 and close proximity to large tourism markets, including Europe, the United Kingdom and America.  Leading operators in Costa Rica are now reporting business growth due to market differentiation based on improved sustainability practices.

The Scottish Seabird Centre presents a useful model for NZ.  With strong community support as a town revitalization project, the Seabird Centre runs at a loss for ten months every year but brings $NZ 5 million a year into the North Berwick community, which has led to new shops and restaurants opening.  The Scottish Seabird Centre uses visitor controlled, broadcast quality, remote cameras on an offshore island to provide close up views of puffins and gannets in their natural setting without disturbing them.  The centre aims to provide a fun family day out with subtle messages on what can be done to improve environmental sustainability back home by some of its 280,000 visitors.  This impact is magnified by a further 720,000 visitors to the Centre’s website each year.  

The innovative use of high quality, remotely operated cameras to provide a real-time nature experience for visitors with minimal environmental impact is compelling.  Using this model, NZ could inspire environmentally responsible behaviour in far more people than will ever visit the country, by creatively combining NZ’s world leading 100% Pure NZ web presence, recognised ability in film making and stunning natural scenery.  This would contribute to the Government’s Economic Transformation goals while also assisting the financial yield and economic return goals noted above.  In some ways the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch already uses this model, providing an experience for visitors who will never visit Antarctica. 

3.4 Future markets/marketing

NZ is a dream destination for many Germans simply because it is the furthest away place on the planet, together with the natural beauty, safe and easy access with friendly English-speaking people.  However, Germans do want to be able to trust that we are valuing and caring for our pristine environment.  Some German tour groups are specifically seeking a deeper experience of the country including, for example, meeting with Council managers to better understand how we are looking after the paradise we are privileged to live in.

The United Kingdom Travel Foundation was established to help UK tourists fund environmental sustainability improvements in their holiday destinations.  The Foundation covers 60% of the UK outbound tour market, including the four largest companies (Thomas Cook, Virgin, Tui and Thompsons Holidays) with 75% of its $2.6 million annual funding coming from travelers’ donations upon booking.  The UK Federation of Tour Operators is so convinced that customers will be using sustainability in their travel decisions within five years that it is including such information on its brochures now, in 2008, and expects laggard operators soon to feel industry and media pressure to change.

The Rainforest Alliance in Costa Rica is working successfully with existing and new inbound operators to educate both their customers and suppliers.  A German outbound operator working with 3,000 German travel agents, is keen to establish a website profiling the top operators in NZ to allow his clients to book environmentally sustainable holidays with ease.  In 2005, Scotland published “The Green Guide” profiling 400 Scottish tourism businesses which are taking steps to help the environment.  Visit Scotland is currently considering how to promote the 800-900 businesses now eligible, approximately 10% of all Scottish tourism businesses.  Tourism NZ is already receiving strong international interest as it begins to profile the new Qualmark Green criteria, demonstrating the potential for significant growth in this niche for NZ.

3.5 Growing public understanding

Improved public understanding of environmental sustainability issues is increasingly being recognised as critical to making substantial progress.  A Costa Rican power company has established a painting education programme for school children in a bid to turn around the national attitude that streams are legitimate rubbish dumps, which is costing the company $43 million per year in clean up costs.  UNEP has developed a global “Green Passport” campaign to grow public understanding of the environmental impacts of travel.

3.6 Major events

Whistler decided that it would only participate in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games if doing so would be consistent with and contribute to implementation of the Whistler 2020 vision.  This has resulted in a relatively small investment by Whistler bringing in millions in federal and provincial investment, high value exposure through naming and medal ceremony hosting rights, a significant celebration sites program and a wide range of investments that will have lasting benefits for the community.  In addition, Whistler is treating the Olympics as an opportunity forexposure to an audience of three billion through visitors and spectators in the resort and on television in the hope that a wonderful experience in 2010 will entice future and repeat visitation.  New Zealand is already exploring similar opportunities around hosting the Rugby World Cup 2011, co-ordinated by the Ministry for Economic Development, and strategic investment is likely to return substantial dividends for the country.

4. Summary and conclusions

New Zealand must take a strongly principled approach if tourism is to achieve sustainability credentials and yield goals set out in the NZ Tourism Strategy 2015.  Outlining our vision for a sustainable future is not enough, we must also clearly define what we don’t want, for example high volume, low yield tourism and actively discriminate against it with confidence that we truly do have a high-value niche product.  We need to actively promote those areas and operators providing the highly sustainable niche which will carry NZ tourism into the future, even in a carbon constrained world, inspiring the rest of the world to take note and take action.

Prepared by: Eric Park
Position: Senior Operator, Tourism & Major Events
Sustainable Business Group,
Ministry for the Environment (Christchurch Office)
Contact: phone (03) 365 9265 (direct) 027 479 1295 Eric.Park@mfe.govt.nz
Last revised: 3rd October 2008


1. From http://www.inbio.ac.cr/en/biod/bio_biodiver.htm, accessed 27th August 2008

 

Last updated: 11 November 2008