Tourism’s commitment to sustainability in action

Sunday, 12 May 2024

Zealandia is an example of how tourism can transform how people live with nature, the ecosanctuary’s chief executive says.

Over 90% of tourism operators want to become more sustainable in their businesses, and the industry body has just launched a new programme to help them.

The country’s biggest annual tourism conference, Trenz, took place in Wellington last week, and sustainability as a part of the industry’s drive to transform itself was a key theme.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) chief executive Rebecca Ingram says the tourism of the future will not look like the past.

“Rather we are focused on purposefully creating a resilient and sustainable industry that delivers for the country, our people, our environment and the visitor.”

That involves starting to put the industry’s strategy, which was launched in November, into action, and sustainability will be a key focus as it is the future of tourism, she says.

“We must move quickly on sustainability. It’s the right thing to do, but it’s also about ensuring we remain a competitive destination, and it makes financial sense.”

Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s Rebecca Ingram has launched a new programme to help operators with sustainability goals.

New research by Tourism NZ and MBIE found that 81% of people considering a holiday in New Zealand have strong sustainability beliefs versus 52% of the general population, and of those 90% will pay a premium for sustainable activities.

Ingram says 92% of the 1900 tourism businesses signed up to the Tourism Sustainability Commitment are committed to advancing sustainability, a recent survey shows.

“And there was a clear desire for online capability building tools to help them continue to progress their sustainability initiatives.”

To cater to that demand, TIA launched its new online programme, Akiaki – Advancing Tourism, at Trenz on Friday.

The programme is built around modules which include video presentations, interactive activities, and case studies, and will support operators to develop comprehensive sustainability plans for their businesses.

It has funding from Te Pūkenga, and will be rolled out from the middle of this year in partnership with Grow Tourism.

Climate Liberation Aotearoa protestors at the Trenz conference last week.

The programme launch came after a small group of environmental protestors attempted to disrupt the conference on Thursday, with accusations of “greenwashing”.

Climate Liberation Aotearoa claims the tourism industry has been “silent” on international shipping and aviation emissions, and is “ignoring the fact that as tourism numbers go up, emissions go up”.

But Ingram said the industry was not blind to the fact it is intertwined with the environment, and it took its responsibilities seriously.

Proof of that can be seen in the number of signatories to the Tourism Sustainability Commitment, she says.

“There is a very deep commitment to action on sustainability from many businesses.

“They are planting trees, doing work towards predator-free goals and to improve biodiversity, and also giving back to their local communities as they are connected to the places they are in.”

Zealandia chief executive Danielle Shanahan says by creating a place for nature, it can thrive.

At Trenz, a range of speakers showcased what their operations are doing to improve sustainability practices, and contribute to regenerative tourism.

Zealandia chief executive Danielle Shanahan says nature is in trouble globally, and people need hope and examples of how the tide can be turned on that loss.

The ecosanctuary is a beacon of hope because its presence means Wellington is now one of the only cities in the world where bird biodiversity is increasing, not decreasing, she says.

“We have shown that by creating a place for nature, it can thrive.”

As a non-profit organisation, the ecosanctury’s mission is underpinned by visitation, and it is sustained by regenerative tourism and community spirit, she says.

“We could treat visitation as a simple transaction, a revenue-gathering exercise. But we want the people who visit to be part of our mission.

Introducing a smaller visitor group model has been transformative for the business, Discover Waitomo’s Daniel Thorne says.

“Our story aims to inspire every visitor to take action to reverse the loss of nature in their own community when they go home.”

Zealandia is a living, breathing example of how tourism can transform how people live with nature, Shanahan says.

Discover Waitomo general manager Daniel Thorne says a Covid-prompted change in the way they manage visitors and tours to the caves has been transformative.

They reduced the number of people in groups visiting the caves, and started to actively manage peak periods by influencing booking times through marketing, he says.

“The smaller group model offers a more personal experience, and is better aligned with our principles of kaitiakitanga.

“It benefits the natural environment and the health of our cave, and that’s intrinsically linked to the preservation of our taonga in the cave.”

But it has also been transformative for the business, as it has smoothed out the demand curve, and boosted customer satisfaction metrics, Thorne says.

“We have doubled the number of permanent full time staff, and reduced our casual workers so it has increased job security in the community.

“And it also encourages visitors to stay longer and spend more in the local environment, which is a win for the community and for local businesses.”