The Issue with Tourism
From an “Insight” feature in The Dominion Post, June 2, 2018:
“The rapturous promotional description of our tourist hotspots conspicuously omits the growing reality – unbridled tourism growth is causing overcrowding, risking damage to the precious places tourists come to experience, and to New Zealand’s reputation as a tourist destination.”
The article accuses NZ’s Department of Conservation (the “de facto tourist department”) of sending conflicting messages.
I was the first and only ever Assistant Director (Recreation & Tourism) in DOC, a government agency established in 1987. I came to the job with cautionary views about tourism growth and a conviction about the need to preserve recreational opportunities, some of which could not stand high visitor numbers.
In my short, two-year term in that job I tried to get my views established as policy in DOC. At one stage I had a seconded ranger from the Australian National Parks & Wildlife Service working on a project to identify research resources that would help DOC establish recreational carrying capacities.
All to no avail it seems.
“The rapturous promotional description of our tourist hotspots conspicuously omits the growing reality – unbridled tourism growth is causing overcrowding, risking damage to the precious places tourists come to experience, and to New Zealand’s reputation as a tourist destination.”
The article accuses NZ’s Department of Conservation (the “de facto tourist department”) of sending conflicting messages.
I was the first and only ever Assistant Director (Recreation & Tourism) in DOC, a government agency established in 1987. I came to the job with cautionary views about tourism growth and a conviction about the need to preserve recreational opportunities, some of which could not stand high visitor numbers.
In my short, two-year term in that job I tried to get my views established as policy in DOC. At one stage I had a seconded ranger from the Australian National Parks & Wildlife Service working on a project to identify research resources that would help DOC establish recreational carrying capacities.
All to no avail it seems.
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