Conclusión de una historia que no admite conclusiones

MANAAKITANGA:

Sharing exceptional and natural hospitality, Knowledge and beliefs, on the basis Of mutual respect between host and visitor

The New Zealand tourism industry has been growing steadily. New Zealand prides itself on labelling New Zealand as the ‘youngest country on earth’ as a selling point followed on by the promise of beautiful scenery and diverse landscapes. Renowned for its dramatic and stunning landscape, New Zealand has a unique culture, friendly and passionate people and an adventurous and daring spirit that captures the visitor. Marketing initiatives, such as Tourism New Zealand’s partnership with global media giant Discovery Channel, provide access to the ideal traveller subset (Tourism New Zealand, 2003). Not only are the natural wonders of New Zealand being used to sell the country to the world but also the activities that take place in these natural areas which are a draw card for the adventurous tourists. Visitors to New Zealand are one of New Zealand’s top foreign exchange earners, and visitor numbers reach up to 3 million. With this growth, there is an increase of pressure to ensure we continue to provide a destination that meets visitor expectations, while at the same time protecting New Zealand’s environment for the future. The New Zealand National Tourism Strategy 2010 is developed to address the implications of tourism growth and how it can be managed at a sustainable level. Tourism New Zealand is focussed on targeting the right type of visitor for the New Zealand experience. They have identified this ideal visitor to be;

“Someone who travels regularly; participates in a wide range of tourism experiences; actively participates in a natural environment; is environmentally and culturally aware; and seeks authentic and new experiences – and then wants to share them with others. We refer to these travellers as ‘interactive travellers’. These travellers are also high users of technology, are leaders with liberal attitudes and have a global mindset. That is, they are aware they are part of a larger world and like to keep themselves informed of what is happening in it.”

(Tourism New Zealand, 2003, p. 13)

The 100% Pure New Zealand message and activity designed for marketing New Zealand to the world is specifically planned to attract a subset of visitors who will best identify with New Zealand and have the ultimate ‘100% Pure New Zealand’ experience. So the aim is to increase positive word of mouth among international visitors, and the campaign must work to attract opinion leaders who will then tacitly ‘market’ New Zealand for the marketers and tourism businesses. By narrowing down the target market, New Zealand’s resources go further, marketing is more efficient and New Zealand stands to benefit in the long term.

Basic statistical information on tourism in New Zealand is derived from the departure cards that every person entering or leaving the country has to fill out. The International Visitor Survey (IVS) is undertaken continuously by Tourism New Zealand (TNZ). Similarly, the Domestic Tourism Study (DTS) exists for domestic tourists. Tourist nights in different commercial accommodation types are recorded through the Commercial Accommodation Monitor (CAM). From these surveys key tourist information on demographics, country of origin, travel patterns and expenditure is collected. The Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) is an independent report by Statistics New Zealand and provides data about tourism’s contribution to New Zealand’s economy. Tourism is a major employer and a highly valuable earner of GST for the country. The industry directly contributes to government funds which are used to maintain the state sector. New Zealand’s infrastructure and resources such as roading and conservation management are all funded by tourism (Tourism New Zealand, 2003)

2.4.1 Organisation of Tourism in New Zealand

Be faithful in the small things, It is in them you will succeed -Mother Theresa-

To be able to influence appropriate changes for the sustainability of tourism in New Zealand, it is important to understand how such a complex industry functions. The small to medium enterprises can really influence how tourists behave and these really make up the tourism industry. There are a number of organisational bodies involved in New Zealand’s tourism

industry. Tourism New Zealand is involved with marketing New Zealand to overseas markets. The Ministry of Tourism provides policy advice to Central Government and other public stakeholders such as the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry for the Environment. The Department of Conservation plays an important role in tourism where they administer around a third of the country’s areas which includes key visitor areas such as Milford Sound, Mt Cook National Park and Franz Josef Glacier. They also oversee visitor numbers and management which is a big responsibility. Furthermore, they influence whether concessions can be granted for the development of activities to take place in sensitive natural areas (Becken, 2001).

On a regional level, there are 26 Regional Tourism Organisations (RTO) that work to promote their regions both domestically and internationally. They also influence travel behaviour of tourists once they have arrived in New Zealand. For the private sectors there are 12 corporate entities in New Zealand which include Air New Zealand, Auckland International Airport and Tranzrail. Ultimately the economic benefits associated with tourism are spread out over a large number of New Zealanders (Becken, 2001).

CHAPTER THREE:

RESEARCH METHODS