Auckland among world cities at risk of overtourism, report says
Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Auckland has been listed among the world's cities potentially at risk of overtourism.
Beloved for its volcanic cones, Waiheke Island wineries and wild west coast beaches, Auckland has been put on alert in a new report which analysed 50 global cities' 'readiness' for tourism growth.
The report, Destination 2030, was carried out by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and commercial real estate firm JLL.
It ranked Auckland as a 'mature performer' – a city with an established tourism infrastructure, strong leisure or business travel and 'good positioning to manage current growth levels', but one at risk of 'future strains'.
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While the forecasted growth in tourism volumes over the next 10 years stand to add pressure on the local economy, Auckland has developed a 'comprehensive tourism plan' that aims to attract tourists while achieving a balance between the domestic and tourism economy, the report stated.
Among other 'mature performers' at risk were Berlin, Dublin, Las Vegas, Lisbon, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Miami, New York, Seoul, Seville and Sydney.
The report also highlighted a number of cities synonymous with crowds – including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris, Prague, Rome – as having established tourism infrastructure and urban readiness, but heavy leisure travel volume 'with potential to cause strain on the city'.
The World Tourism Organisation (WTO) defined overtourism as 'the impact of tourism on a destination … that excessively influences perceived quality of life of citizens and/or quality of visitor experiences in a negative way'.
The number of international tourist arrivals is increasing across the world.
Last year, there were 1.4 billion tourist arrivals globally - up six per cent from the previous year, according to the WTO.
Tourism is a $8.3 billion business for Auckland, which attracts more than 2.7 million international visitors a year (as of May 2019).
New Zealand has seen its fair share of 'overtourism' in recent years, with hot spots including Queenstown, Milford Sound and the Bay of Plenty.
Earlier this year, the Matapouri Mermaid Pools were closed to the public after news they had been damaged by urine and sunscreen, and rubbish left by visitors.
But Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) said the report highlighted the agency's work to mitigate against the impacts of potential overtourism.
Steve Armitage, ATEED's general manager of destination, said the Auckland Council-run agency was 'thrilled' to be highlighted in the report.
He added: 'The report acknowledges the significance and importance of the Destination AKL 2025 strategy we launched last year, alongside an industry leadership group to set a new direction for Auckland's visitor economy.
'This has seen the private and public sector working together to ensure a sustainable future for Auckland which includes taking more of a destination management focus towards how we think about visitors and those that live here.
'It's pleasing to see Destination AKL 2025 being recognised globally as a plan that embraces a more proactive approach to destination management, where we are actively taking steps to mitigate the impacts of potential overtourism in our region.
'An example of this is working with the sector to help spread the flows of visitors throughout the Auckland region by improving connectivity in and around the city with effective public transport, and by reducing seasonality with a calendar of events spread more evenly across the year.'