We are a local tourism group with an interest in developing tourism as part of our economic diversification strategy. In recent years, the population has declined as people leave the area for work and education. As a consequence, the infrastructure and services have declined. Our coastline is rich with natural and heritage values, including native bush, small bays, indigenous wildlife, and Māori and European archaeological sites. However, at present most visitors drive (or are driven) along the main highway, bypassing our area and heading to the popular tourism resort at Kingsville.
We want more visitors to come here but we don’t want to turn into another Kingsville. We want to preserve the natural values of our area and maintain our rural lifestyles and small-town atmosphere.
We have a small breeding colony of Gannets on an attractive natural headland reserve that visitors can easily access by walking across a special tidal wetland area. Local people are concerned about the damage they do to both, including the possibility that the gannets might leave.
A developer from Kingsville has bought up a large area of land behind the main beach and there are rumours that he wants to develop a resort and up-market subdivision.
We are a local group, comprising some of the local tourism operators, that is looking at tourism promotion. Other operators are not interested in joining the group. An enterprise development advisor has given the group some assistance. This local group has had little contact with the Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) or the Department of Conservation (DOC), both of which are based in Kingsville. The local council still focuses on farming and forestry for our economic future, and recently turned down funding for public toilets at the beach as part of its annual plan.
This small tourism group recently had a meeting and decided that it should look at ways to increase tourism activity in the area.
Here are some steps and tools that this group could use in an integrated approach to sustainable tourism development. The order of steps and the suggested tools are just a guide. You may decide there are other things you need to consider as you go along.
You need to develop some common goals and objectives that reflect community interests and provide some parameters and a vision/direction for tourism growth.
Consult with operators, the community, key stakeholders, RTO, DOC and local authorities to identify their issues and any regulatory constraints for development. A good start would be to look at the tools under Structured participation.
Consider:
Make sure your community tourism strategy is consistent with district and regional natural resource and tourism plans, and conservation plans. Look at tools under Resource/land-use and tourism plans.
Consider:
Once you have a developed a shared vision that you believe reflects what you would like to see in respect of tourism growth, use your vision for tourism development to develop a tourism plan. Look at tools under Structured participation
Consider:
Having thought about the possibilities for growth and level of development you want to achieve, as well as identified issues and constraints, you now have to consider how to get there. Look at the tools in Recognising and setting limits to protect and manage access to specific resources such as the gannets or coastal wetlands.
Consider:
Now you are well into the toolkit and the development of your tourism plan, look at some more specific planning and management issues and tools, like how to manage coastal subdivision, Interpretation, information and marketing and how to get visitors to act responsibly.
Consider
Finally think about how you might know you are achieving what you want for your community and environment from tourism, and whether there are any unforeseen effects that need to be addressed. Look at the tools in Impact assessment.
Consider: