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Rotorua tourism on show at upcoming Ecotourism NZ Conference
Rotorua tourism on show at upcoming Ecotourism NZ Conference
Rotorua's premiere nature-based tourism operations - from Rainbow Springs to Te Urewera Treks, will take centre stage at the annual Ecotourism NZ Conference in Rotorua, 2 and 3 September.
Ecotourism NZ spokesman Joe Doherty says Rotorua's natural environment, strong Maori culture, established ecotourism industry and convenient location make it an ideal setting for a conference on ecotourism.
"Rotorua is a region that embraces and celebrates its culture and heritage, and a place where communities and businesses are working together to improve and enhance their natural environment - all things that ecotourism strives to achieve," Mr Doherty says. "We're looking forward to getting behind the scenes and finding out why ecotourism is so successful here. There is a lot to learn."
This year's event is co-hosted by Greymouth-based Tai Poutini Polytechnic and Waiariki Institute of Technology. Now in its fourth year, it will be the first time the event is held outside the South Island.
“Waiariki Institute of Technology is delighted to be partnering with Tai Poutini Polytechnic to bring the Ecotourism NZ Conference to Rotorua, the home of New Zealand tourism,” said John Snook, Waiariki’s Deputy Chief Executive.
“Waiariki has recently developed the National Centre for Conservation, Energy and Environmental Sustainability. This national centre will take a leadership role in the application of water quality research, vocational training in renewable energy production, and in embedding applied sustainability within some of our undergraduate business qualifications. These goals sit very well with the conference agenda and we are very pleased to be supporting it.”
A conference highlight will be keynote speaker Robert Swan – polar explorer, environmental leader and the first person ever to have walked to both the North and South poles. Mr Swan has dedicated his life to the preservation of Antarctica by the promotion of recycling, renewable energy and sustainability to combat the effects of climate change.
" Each year we present speakers who inspire and motivate us to do better and be better. This year is no exception," Mr Doherty says.
"Robert is a passionate, inspirational and exceptionally gifted communicator. Regarded as one of the world's top motivational speakers, he is sure to get people thinking and talking about the important conservation issues."
Another highlight of this year's conference will be the range of field trips to successful local ecotourism companies - from bigger operations such as Te Puia, Whakarewarewa Thermal Village and Waimangu Volcanic Valley, to the boutique such as Multiday Adventures and Te Urewera Treks.
This year will see a focus on three key areas - cultural tourism, conservation and communities working together and small business development.
Each year the conference attracts around 150 delegates from New Zealand and overseas, including representatives from Tourism New Zealand, the Department of Conservation, environmental experts and leading tourism operators. The conference aims to enhance New Zealand's ecotourism industry by supporting businesses at the grassroots' level. It is a practical, hands-on event providing advice, training and discussion on every-day issues facing ecotourism businesses.
This year delegates will get the chance to learn about :
· Website management, online marketing and booking systems
· Setting up your own restoration trust
· Marketing to an international audience
· Small business development
· Concessions and operator issues from the Department of Conservation
· Tourism on working farms
· The potential for cycling tourism
Mr Doherty, who also owns Te Urewera Treks, says there is no other event like this for ecotourism operators.
"I’m looking forward to a productive and fruitful conference. It's a great opportunity for operators to come together to network and share information."
The conference is also highly regarded by previous attendees.
"It's invaluable in terms of discussing common issues with like-minded operators," says ecotourism operator John Barrett of Kapiti Island Alive.
"The speakers are inspirational and the web development sessions are incredibly useful. There's nothing else like it for ecotourism operators."
Paul Norris of Real Journeys, one of the country's leading scenic tour operations, says he enjoys the camaraderie and opportunity to learn from other operators.
"I like hearing from other operators about what makes their business work and what the challenges are, then picking up on that afterwards at dinner and talking it through with them."
He also says that at $420 for an "Early Bird" registration the conference is very well priced - "it's bloody great value!"
SPEAKERS 2010
JOE DOHERTY
ECO-CULTURAL TOURISM OPERATOR/MAORI BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT
Joe's tourism business - Te Urewera Treks, offers guided treks primarily to international clients in Te Urewera and Whirinaki forests where indigenous Maori culture is alive and thriving. His aim is to use the indigenous forest assets of Tuhoe to create full-time sustainable jobs for locals. Jo has spoken to wide acclaim at past conferences.
DAN STEELE
BLUE DUCK LODGE (WWW.BLUEDUCKLODGE.CO.NZ/), WHANGANUI NATIONAL PARK
Dan set up Blue Duck Lodge five years ago as a side business to his 2000 hectare sheep and beef farm. Blue Duck Lodge now has three lodges catering for more than 100 people a week in the peak season, and Dan predicts in a few years it will become more profitable than the farm.
A passionate conservationist, Dan has set up a trust to preserve the land and history of the Whanganui National Park area through pest control and habitat restoration. Dan will talk about running tourism operations on working farms and explain how to set up and secure funding for your own conservation and restoration trusts.
LAWRENCE SMITH
CEO, CABBAGE TREE CREATIVE (WWW.CABBAGETREE.CO.NZ/)
Online marketing is critical for every tourism business these days. Lawrence will cover some of the more topical areas including SEO, Google Adwords and social media like Facebook, twitter and flickr. Find what works and how you can apply it successfully in your business.
Other speakers include:
Grace Neilson - CEO, Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Tours.
Kevin O'Connor - General manager Research and Development Group, Department of Conservation.
Clare Travers - Kiwi husbandry manager, Rainbow Springs.
Harvey James - CEO, Waimangu Volcanic Valley.
Karl Johnstone - Acting CEO, Te Puia the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute.
Eldad Collins - Sustainability advisor, Rotorua Sustainable Tourism Charter
Geoff Ensor - Sector manager, Tourism Industry Association
Catherine Bates - General Manager Consumer Marketing, Tourism New Zealand
For full list of speakers and their profiles.
 | Ecotourism NZ Conference 2010 brochure Adobe Acrobat Document: 799 KB, 117 seconds @ 56kbps |
