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Cycling, ecotourism on working farms at Ecotourism NZ Conference
Cycling, ecotourism on working farms at Ecotourism NZ Conference
With a strong focus on conservation, small business development and sustainable and cultural tourism, this year's conference in Rotorua on 2 and 3 September promises yet again to be a hit with delegates.
Ecotourism NZ spokesman Joe 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, share information and learn new and better ways of doing business."
The annual conference is being held outside of the South Island for the first time since it started in 2006. It has become a highlight for ecotourism operators throughout the country.
"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."
Some of the topical issues being explored at this year's Ecotourism NZ Conference include the potential for cycling tourism, setting up tourism operations on working farms and the implications of the Adventure Tourism Review for ecotourism operators.
CYCLING TOURISM
Cycle tourism is an untapped market with huge potential according to conference speaker and Mountain Bike NZ president Jeff Carter. Jeff is a director of NZ Trail Solutions, an international company building mountain bike tracks in Portugal, Chile, Mexico, Jamaica and most recently Nelson, NZ. He is a keen advocate of developing cycle trails on private and public land to attract tourists and encourage more people to take up cycling.
Jeff will lead a workshop on cycling tourism, looking into its growth and potential here and how operators can capitalise on this trend. Nick Chater - owner of Rotorua's Multi-Day Adventures cycle tour company, and Richard Balm - project manager for the NZ Cycle Trail Project, will also take part.
As part of the workshop, delegates will "go off the beaten track" on a field trip exploring Rotorua’s Redwood Forest by bike. The trip will be led by local guides from Multi-Day Adventures.
TOURISM ON WORKING FARMS
Another relevant issue being addressed at the conference will be that of tourism operations on working farms. This offers exciting opportunities for both the ecotourism and rural sector, says farmer and conservationist Dan Steele, the owner of Blue Duck Lodge in Whanganui National Park.
"There needs to be a lot more collaboration between farmers, DOC and the tourism sectors. There are just so many mutual benefits from working together," he says.
Dan set up Blue Duck Lodge five years ago after discovering a small population of the rare and endangered blue duck (whio) on his farm nestled on the banks of the Whanganui River.
Blue Duck Station has since grown to 2200 hectares, has three lodges, exports manuka honey and is home to a major conservation project trapping predators and increasing populations of several species of New Zealand native birds.
Farm, history and conservation tours, bush walks, horse trekking and kayaking are just some of the activities on offer to visitors.
Dan has set up a trust to preserve the land and history of the Whanganui National Park area through pest control and habitat restoration. In his presentation, Dan will talk about how important and easy it is for businesses to incorporate conservation into their long term sustainability strategy.
He will also share his experience of setting up an ecotourism operation on his farm and discuss his commitment to preserving the area's natural beauty and wildlife.
ADVENTURE TOURISM REVIEW
Conference delegates will also be challenged to consider safety and quality control issues in their businesses. More specifically, the question Tourism Industry Association sector manager Geoff Ensor will ask them is - "How do you manage risks and learn from your mistakes?".
Geoff will expand on this when he leads a workshop looking into "your responsibilities as an ecotourism operator".
Geoff says the interactive session will be a chance to learn from other operators about safety issues, find out about the potential implications of the Adventure Tourism Review and examine what this may mean for their business.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER ROBERT SWAN
One of the main highlights this year, as with previous conferences, will be the keynote speaker.
The keynote speaker for this year's Ecotourism NZ Conference is Robert Swan - one of the world’s top polar explorers and environmental leaders. By age 33, he became the first person to walk to both the North and South Poles, earning his place in history alongside the great explorers and adventurers.
His 900 mile journey to the South Pole, ‘In the Footsteps of Scott’, stands as the longest unassisted walk ever made on earth. During his expeditions, Swan experienced firsthand the effects of global warming at both Poles. In Antarctica, his eyes forever changed colour after prolonged exposure under the hole in the ozone layer. In the Arctic, his team survived near-death encounters in a melting ocean, prematurely caused by global warming. These powerful experiences only helped to shape and focus Swan’s lifetime goal: working towards the preservation of Antarctica as the last great wilderness on earth.
In March 2008, Swan again made Antarctic history by living solely on renewable energy at the E-Base for over two weeks. Successful in the world’s harshest climate, the positive message Swan sent to the world was “This is possible in Antarctica, and surely it is possible in the ‘real world’!”
During 2003 Swan and his company, 2041, delivered the first corporate Antarctic expeditions on teamwork and leadership through positive participation and real missions. The ‘Inspire Antarctic Expeditions’ (IAE) teams helped design and build the world’s first education station (The E-Base) in Antarctica.
Swan is currently on a five-year global ‘Voyage for Cleaner Energy’ aboard his renewable energy sailboat. He aims to showcase sustainable living practices and transport alternatives that run solely on renewable energy. His contribution to education and the environment has been recognized on an international scale. He was appointed United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for Youth and Special Envoy to the Director General of UNESCO and was awarded an OBE as well as the Polar Medal by Her Majesty the Queen. For more on Robert Swan go to www.2041.com/about-2041/robert-swan
