Conference Presenters Abstracts
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Ron Mader
Planeta.com founder
Ron Mader is a professional journalist and the founder of Planeta.com, the web's first site dedicated to ecotourism.
Ron's work seeks to catalyse communication about environmental conservation, travel and peacemaking. He does this by facilitating online and natural world seminars and workshops, the most popular of which is the Web Seminar that shows professionals how to make effective use of Planeta.com and improve their own web presence. Ron works with a number of indigenous groups, including Aboriginal Tourism Australia and the local guides and weavers of Teotitlán del Valle.
Global perspective of ecotourism- listening to visitors and locals
Ecotourism means something different to everyone and in this review Ron discusses the ways to engage visitors and locals. He presents an overview of the key issues that are being discussed around the world, including the heated debate on carbon emission offsetting tourism; the role awards play in developing awareness; and how the web is being used for distance learning. Results from the recent Planeta.com survey on the five-year review of the International Year of Ecotourism will be included, as well as proposals for using grassroots events and Web 2.0 technology as a tool to connect visitors and locals.
Powerpoint presentation
Founder and board member, Ecotourism Australia
Chairperson, Forum Advocating Cultural and Eco tourism, WA
Ross Dowling is Foundation Professor of Tourism and Head of the Tourism Program at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia. He is an executive board member of the Indian Ocean Tourism Organization (IOTO) and a founder and director of Ecotourism Australia.
Ross has worked in ecotourism for more than thirty years. He is a prolific author and researcher, and has been a tour guide in natural areas in many parts of the world including New Zealand, Australia, Asia, the Pacific and the Antarctic. He is also an international speaker and consultant on ecotourism in several countries, including Vietnam, China, United Arab Emirates and Oman.
For his contributions to the environment he has been awarded a New Zealand Conservation Foundation Citation and a Mobil Environmental Award.
Ecotourism – A global overview and
Ecotourism is booming around the world. The World Tourism Organisation (WTO) reports that ecotourism accounts for approximately 20 percent of total international travel and is now worth US$20 billion a year. Ross’ presentation reviews ecotourism at the macro level and describes what is occurring in a number of countries. He will argue that ecotourism is a central vehicle assisting communities, regions and countries towards the regeneration of natural and cultural environments through tourism. He examines some of the current issues facing ecotourism and presents its major advances over the past few years.
Ross also discusses the ecotourism industry in Australia, and the role of Ecotourism Australia's ECO accreditation scheme in the development of Australia's Green Travel brand. He will finish by encouraging Ecotourism NZ to take the next steps towards becoming an industry recognised leader in the future development of a greener New Zealand.
Presentation PDF
Cam McLeay
After dinner speaker
Adrift Adventure Co. and Wildwaters Reserve - Uganda
Cam McLeay is a New Zealander who led the first-ever descent of the Victoria Nile in Uganda in 1996. Heis, without doubt, one of the most experienced guides in the industry. For over a quarter of a century, Cam has led expeditions down some of the wildest rivers on the planet. He and his family currently live in Uganda running their company, Adrift Adventure Co., and driving the Wildwaters Reserve project - a private initiative to build an eco-tourism lodge, create a primate sanctuary and preserve mid-river islands in the Victoria Nile.
Wildwaters Reserve
The mighty Nile slips quietly from Lake Victoria in equatorial Uganda, and then leaps into a series of huge rapids and thunders amidst heavily forested islands. The young river offers protection to a unique, yet fragile, eco-system supporting some of the most fascinating bio-diversity on earth. However, along the banks of the river, hundreds of communities live in poverty, healthcare and basic necessities are in short supply, the population is exploding and they see little value in protecting this remarkable eco-system. How can we preserve this ecosystem without adversely affecting the immediate neighbours?
Presentation notes
Environmental and sustainable tourism
Dave Bamford
Company director
Tourism Resource Consultants
Dave Bamford has had a long involvement with New Zealand tourism, protected areas and recreation. Starting his career as a ranger in the Westland National Park, he worked throughout New Zealand’s National Parks for more than a decade. Dave is a founding director of Tourism Resource Consultants, established in 1986 to specialise in tourism and conservation in NZ and offshore. Based in Wellington, he is currently involved with a range of projects in NZ, Asia, the Pacific and Latin America. He has a good understanding of tourism business development and planning.
Environmental and sustainable tourism
Environmental and sustainable tourism trends in New Zealand and offshore are changing. There are two clear New Zealand approaches - firstly where the business of tourism is funding conservation projects such as the Wildlife Sanctuaries. Secondly, there is the approach of running a tourism business that provides financial, conservational and community benefits. The role of eco-tourism and the role of tourism as a poverty alleviation tool in Asia and the Pacific will also be briefly discussed.
Geoff Ensor
Sector manager
Tourism Industry Association NZ
Geoff Ensor is a sector manager for the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand (TIA). Geoff provides advocacy and support across a wide range of issues to operators in a number of industry sectors, including the Adventure and Outdoor sector. Before joining TIA in 2005, Geoff was a commercial pilot for 20 years, during which time he flew for Air New Zealand’s Eagle Air and spent 10 years as chief pilot for Air Safaris and Services Ltd based at Lake Tekapo.
Environmental and sustainable tourism
Geoff will talk about the environmental spotlight being directed on New Zealand and some of the challenges and opportunities this presents to the tourism industry. He will also talk about TIA’s role, as the national association for tourism, in effectively representing its members on environmental issues.
Eric Park
Senior operator- Sustainable Industry Group
Ministry for the Environment
Eric oversees the Sustainable Industry Group’s work with the tourism industry as a senior operator with the Ministry for the Environment, based in Christchurch. He chairs the Tourism Waste National Working Group and also works with other industry sectors around the South Island. Eric has previously worked as an environmental consultant, a civil engineer and in local government.
Environmental and sustainable tourism
The tourism sector will play a key role as NZ aims to become the first nation to be truly sustainable. Our global niche needs to be better defined. We need to better understand what will keep higher-yielding visitors both coming here in a carbon constrained future, and leaving with a strong sense that their trip has contributed to restoring (not just sustaining) the planet. We too can "save the planet and get rich doing it".
Antonia Westmacott
Policy team
Ministry of Tourism
Antonia Westmacott is originally from the UK, and moved to New Zealand in 2004. The mountains, fresh air and outdoors lifestyle drew her here, and she has a passion for the environment and landscape that makes this country so unique. Antonia has been working for the Ministry of Tourism since August 2005. She has been involved in a range of policy projects from Government's investment in offshore marketing and infrastructure issues related to tourism demand to issues around environmental sustainability within the tourism sector and tourism yield.
Environmental and sustainable tourism
Antonia will talk briefly on the Sustainable Tourism Charter project that has been implemented in Northland, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Nelson, Southland/Fiordland and Wanaka. She will share some of the lessons learnt from the charter process, and talk about recent work the Ministry is doing to assist tourism businesses to become more sustainable.
Presentation PDF
Operator issues
Peter Morrison
Marketing consultant
Peter has 20 years experience as an independent consultant in marketing and business development around New Zealand, with an emphasis on tourism promotion in recent years.
Business strategy and vision
A good business strategy is tailored to the environment in which the business operates. This environment is in a state of constant change, hence the need for a business strategy that keeps pace with change, and anticipates change so that the business can be positioned to take advantage of it. This is all very well in theory, but the reality of trying to develop effective plans in a competitive, changeable environment is, as most business people know, complex and never entirely successful.
Presentation PDF
Jeroen Jongejons
Operator
Dive! Tutukaka
Jeroen Jongejons has been involved in the dive industry for approximately 20 years. He has been the project manager of the sinking of the ex-HMNZS Tui and the ex-HMNZS Waikato, sunk as artificial reefs off the Tutukaka Coast. He is also a strong proponent of the Poor Knights Marine Reserve and a Northland Conservation Board member. He has been actively involved with the Northland Tourism Development Group,is chair of the Northland Sustainable Tourism Charter and a Director of Dive! Tutukaka - last year’s supreme Tourism Award winner.
Strategic planning
Making sure that you incorporate past business experiences into your strategic plan assists with determining what you need to plan for. However, we continue to face unplanned challenges in our business so we need to ensure that we have a set of procedures and policies in place to deal with these, as well as ensure we have staff capable of making the right on-the-spot decisions.
He will speak about disasters that have occurred in his business, their impact on the business and how they shape the business direction and strategic planning.
Presentation PDF
Lawrence Smith
CEO (Chief Cabbage)
Cabbage Tree Design
Known as the 'Chief Cabbage', Lawrence seeded Cabbage Tree in 1996 - a time when the internet was still unheard of by most businesses in New Zealand. Lawrence's vision was to use new technologies as a means of gaining a cost effective, competitive edge. Now with a team of 15, and many of New Zealand’s leading tourism businesses as clients, the scope of the business has changed somewhat. A large part of Lawrence’s role these days is to follow developments in both the technology and tourism sectors, and to identify what opportunities these create online.
Online marketing
The web is now an integral part of every tourism marketing strategy. Typically however, it is one of the least understood and most neglected aspects, despite this importance. In this workshop, Lawrence starts from the beginning. He will discuss some web basics and why they are important, and progress onto current online trends and how they apply to your business.
Presentation PDF
Conrad Anderson
Project analyst
The West Coast Development Trust
Conrad has more than10 years experience in financial management and strategic planning, business development, corporate banking and business administration. In addition, he has university qualifications in finance, economics and business. He joined The West Coast Development Trust in 2002, initially as a Business Analyst, more recently as Relationship Manager, and currently has more of a project focus. Conrad’s challenges have included helping to grow businesses and developing working relationships with people in the community and in business.
Establishing and managing a business -who, why and how!
During the past few years Conrad has been involved with numerous funding applications for businesses based or operating on the West Coast of the Southern Alps. A significant number of these are either operating within the tourism sector or are business start ups.
With the assistance of a case study from White Heron Sanctuary Tours, from Whataroa, South Westland, Conrad Anderson will be discussing the who, why and how of establishing and managing a business.
Presentation PDF
Ken and Dion Arnold
Operators
White Heron Tours
Ken Arnold runs White Heron Sanctuary Tours with his wife Shirley and son Dion. They have been undertaking tours to the sanctuary for 20 years, and run under concession to the Department of Conservation. The company’s role is to maintain and preserve the ecosystem of the Waitangi Roto Nature Reserve, and to give visitors an experience they will not encounter in any other part of this country.
The reality of operating a small ecotourism business
White Heron Sanctuary Tours is a small ecotourism business based in the South Westland township of Whataroa. The company operates the only available tour to New Zealand’s solitary nesting site for the Kotuku or White Heron.
The nesting site is only accessible by boat and visitors are allowed entry by permit from the Department of Conservation. Every year in early September, the White Heron return from their various wintering grounds around New Zealand for nesting. Instinct guides them into this remote and unique site in the heart of the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve.
Craig Wilson
Director
Quality Tourism Development Limited
Craig has operated his consulting business for the last six years and has led a variety of projects where quality improvement and sustainability have been critical, including for Qualmark and the Ministry of Tourism. He is passionate about the development of higher-quality and higher-yielding tourism experiences in New Zealand.
Operator issues – Growing your business through partnerships
After presenting tourism workshops and mentoring businesses around the country over the last five years, Craig has discovered that there are many more opportunities for tourism businesses to grow by working together more effectively. Establishing and maintaining partnerships is an essential discipline that tourism operators sometimes overlook, but to be truly sustainable we need to be proactive in developing mutually beneficial business and stakeholder relationships.
Monitoring is undertaken to provide managers with information so that they know where and when to intervene to ensure that key values are protected. Balancing the potential value of this information versus the cost of collecting it, remains the challenge for the future.
Presentation notes
Presentation PDF
Mark Brabyn
Owner operator
Hiking New Zealand
Mark started Hiking New Zealand in 1993 after spending eight months in Africa travelling safari style and getting the idea to do something similar in New Zealand. The business now donates funds to conservation of Hectors dolphins, with more than $55,000 contributed to date. Mark, who has a Masters degree in Zoology, has recently sold half of his business, allowing him more time in the hills with his 4-year-old daughter, Rata.
How has networking helped Hiking New Zealand?
Hiking New Zealand has been operating for 14 years and won four tourism awards. Networking with other operators has enabled us to grow our business to where it is today. A substantial proportion of our profit now comes from selling other operators' tours - operators that are also our competition! Many small to medium sized operators share the same challenges - obtaining good guides, working with DoC, running profitable trips. Working together and with the Tourism Industry Association is essential to running a good business and keeping our sanity.
Presentation notes
Standards and benchmarking
Nicola Smith
Head of Assessment Services
Qualmark NZ Ltd
Nicola joined Qualmark after five years with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise in both the international education sector and the ICT sector. She majored in Management Studies and Labour Relations at the University of Auckland. Nicola has travelled extensively, including to the UK, Europe, North Africa, and the Mercosur countries in South America. She brings a broad understanding of perception relating to New Zealand as a destination, and exploits this knowledge via her role as Head of Assessment Services for Qualmark.
Standards and benchmarking
Qualmark NZ Ltd is the only official NZ tourism agency to offer standards-based accreditation for the tourism sector, offering star grading for accommodation and endorsement for activities, transport and
services. Qualmark has recently been charged by Government to develop standards and benchmarking for sustainable attributes of tourism businesses.
Balancing customer expectations with environmental considerations does not mean compromising quality in other areas.Qualmark accreditation, already representing quality in a range of aspects, will soon include
additional criteria against which operators can demonstrate positive, environmental performance.
Operators interested in either leveraging their current performance in this area, or looking to extend it, are invited to hear more about how Qualmark accreditation will represent an expansion of quality into sustainable environmental performance.
Chris Tobias
Business development manager
Green Globe
As business development manager for Green Globe New Zealand, Chris has brought together his experiences of sustainable business practices in a variety of sectors. He has particular expertise in the field of sustainable building design and construction following a successful stint with BRANZ Ltd. Hailing from Chicago, Chris travelled extensively before settling in New Zealand. His experiences of many different cultures and environments have given him an invaluable insight into, and built a strong belief in, the importance of sustainable practices and the significant benefits that businesses can accrue, often through taking very simple steps.
Standards and benchmarking
Beyond standards and brands, sustainability should encompass the ethos of the business. How a company responsibly manages its operations and communicates its commitments to the market are of the utmost importance. Green Globe provides a robust reporting framework that covers the environmental, social and economic considerations of tourism businesses. We will examine the International Ecotourism Standard and discuss the many ways Green Globe can help operators pursue a path of sustainable growth. Where possible, case studies of participant businesses will also be included to highlight achievements made with the programme.
Presentation notes
Presentation PDF
Concessions and land management
Gavin Walker
Concessions and tourism manager,
Department of Conservation
Gavin has been working for the Department of Conservation for the past 10 years in a range of different roles and localities throughout New Zealand. All of these roles have focused on the use of public conservation land by people. Recently appointed to his current position in DoC, Gavin is looking forward to working with the tourism industry on the continued opportunities and challenges associated with the tourism-conservation interface.
Concessions and land management
The Department of Conservation's primary purpose is to look after New Zealand's natural and historic heritage including managing National Parks, Forest Parks and a variety of other reserves. The Department also wants people to visit and enjoy these places. The concession system is an important tool that enables other organisations and groups to work with the Department to meet these conservation and recreation objectives. In doing this it also ensures that the significant adverse effects of activities are avoided, remedied or mitigated so that conservation and recreation values are sustained.
Where it is not possible to demonstrate that the potential adverse effects of an activity can be avoided, remedied or mitigated in that location an application is declined. Where activities are approved monitoring provides an essential reality check to ensure that these are not resulting in unforeseen or greater adverse effects than originally anticipated.
Presentation PDF
Myreen Kain
Operator
Haast River Safari
Myreen Kain and her husband Lindsay moved from Queenstown to Haast in 2003 to lease Haast River Safari. They purchased the business in 2004. The couple has used their previous experience and knowledge, including 15 years as accounts managers for a transport company, in growing and developing their business.
Managing the concessions process in your business
Myreen will discuss the relationship their business has with DoC and how they have developed a productive working relationship as a critical aspect of their tourism operation. Combined resources will ensure viability for business and preservation of our protected World Heritage for all to enjoy and share on an equal basis. Our personal experience with DoC has been of a mutual partnership, with realistic and beneficial changes for both parties allowing all points of view to be expressed and taken in to account to achieve the best possible result.
Interpretation basics
Ulva Goodwillie
Operator and specialist natural history guide
Ulva's Guided Walks
Ulva is an articulate, friendly, well-informed islander who is passionate about her home and committed to giving visitors a special insight into Rakiura's unique attractions. Ulva bears the name of the lovely island sanctuary situated in Whaka o Te Wera (Paterson Inlet). A highlight of her walking programme is a leisurely ramble which introduces visitors to Ulva Island's history, scenery and spectacular birdlife. As mana whenua (guardian of the land through ancestral links), Ulva presents a welcoming warmth and connects the visitor with Rakiura's spiritual heritage and its cultural and conservation values.
A virtual tour of Ulva Island bird sanctuary
Ulva Island bird sanctuary is a predator-free open heritage island, surrounded by a marine and mataitai reserve in New Zealand's latest National Park. We will be strolling ‘virtually’ through a unique environment that is a paradise for birdlife where rare and endangered species of birds and plants abound. Most New Zealanders do not know where Ulva Island is, let alone Stewart Island, so it will be my absolute pleasure to show everyone how stunning our bird sanctuary is.
Fergus Sutherland
Owner operator
Catlins Wildlife Trackers
Fergus Sutherland was born in South Otago and his qualifications include an MA in Geography and Graduate Diploma, majoring in tourism, from Otago University. His work experience includes teaching, soil conservation and establishing a successful ecotourism business in the Catlins with his wife Mary. Fergus has been involved in conservation for many years and is a past chair of the Otago Conservation Board.
Interpretation basics and your audience
Fergus will tell you about how Catlins Wildlife Trackers first analyse and understand the needs of their audience as the critical element in their interpretation delivery. Fergus will give examples of interpretation principles as well as what happens at the end of the tour, and how you can learn from your guests.
New Zealand tourism research
Sandra Rhodda
Research manager
Tai Poutini Polytechnic
Sandra has a diverse background. Shehas a PhD in Zoology and has worked as a research scientist, a self-employed artist and photographer, and as a curator and director of an art gallery. Sandra is continuing her research on tourism sector education and training needs with a particular focus on ecotourism; issues around developing the northern Buller region; and tertiary participation rates by West Coast students. She has mapped the tourism industry on the West Coast, and recently completed preliminary reports on the need for a full-time tourism human resources development officer on the West Coast, and on how well the industry caters for the large and growing access tourism market.
New Zealand tourism research – Research report - Why you should cater for tourists with disabilities?
Tourism is New Zealand’s primary export earner, and the West Coast’s largest employer. There is a growing trend worldwide to cater for niche tourism markets, in particular people with disabilities the world’s largest minority group. Despite the fact that this group is set to grow even larger over the next several decades, it is one that New Zealand has not yet begun to exploit. People with disabilities have increasing discretionary funds and financial power, are articulate and web savvy, and are very interested in travel.
New Zealand must invest considerable effort if it is to catch up with other areas, which have been working for a number of years to cater for the expected rise in this market. Here, awareness of the access market and the ability to cater for it is currently negligible. This report provides an overview of the market, a preliminary examination of the provision of West Coast tourism services for people with disabilities and discusses why operators should increase their awareness of access tourism.
Presentation notes
Growing Ecotourism on the West Coast
Hugh Canard
Director
Canard Consulting Limited
Hugh Canard is the Project Manager for the West Coast Major Regional Initiative (MRI), a portfolio of 15 tourism projects from the Heaphy Track in the north, to the Te Wahi Pounamu World Heritage area in the south. Hugh started his working career in the energy and construction industry and then entered the tourism industry as the owner of a sea kayaking business in the Abel Tasman National Park. He has been a director and manager of accommodation businesses and a member of two RTO boards and three conservation boards. Hugh worked for New Zealand Trade & Enterprise in the regional economic development team for three years, and is now a tourism and economic development consultant.
A number of communities have developed projects which are partially or wholly tourism focused. The Hump Ridge Track, the Central Otago Rail Trail and the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary are well known New Zealand examples. Some community projects have been initiated solely for economic development, and others for environmental reasons, or a mix of both.
The West Coast region is currently developing four community-driven projects that started as almost pure conservation or preservation, but have subsequently evolved into heritage conservation with a tourism component. This presentation outlines these projects and comments on some of the issues that arise in seeking a balance between preservation and exploitation, and how the potential for sustainable economic development can be realised.
Presentation notes
Presentation PDF
Training and education
Geoff Button
Ecotourism tutor
Tai Poutini Polytechnic
With 12 years in tourism as a guide, Geoff has had broad experience of the different aspects of the New Zealand industry, particularlyecotourism. He has also worked for DoC, mainly in the Abel Tasman and Kahurangi National Parks, which helped him understand the impacts and issues involved with tourism. He has also worked for Black Sheep Touring Company, Abel Tasman Wilson’s Experiences, Kapiti Tours and Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki.
Presentation PDF
John Kennedy
Ecotourism programme co-ordinator
Tai Poutini Polytechnic
John completed his MA in Recreation and Leisure in 1997 at Victoria University. His professional life in the tourism industry started in 1993 as a sea kayak guide in the Abel Tasman and he progressed to running his own small tour company specialising in sea kayaking and tramping. Previous roles include the operations manager for the Buller Gorge Swingbridge and a contract guide for the Tourism Board’s Visiting Media Programme. John is driven by his passion for high quality tourism experiences that include great interpretation for visitors.
Telling a story
Our land has so many stories to tell. When teaching Ecotourism at Tai Poutini Polytechnic, we look at the natural and human history of Aoteoroa. We develop not just the skills in telling a story, but research the deep history that lies behind our natural and cultural heritage. This is what we communicate with our visitors – we are not just reproducing an old story but sharing the rich knowledge of our country.
We will present a session on telling stories about some of the things we see as everyday and how we can develop our interpretation skills.
Cultural tourism
Joe Doherty
Operator
Te Urewera Treks
After living and working in Wellington for almost 20 years in a range of public sector management roles, Joe and his wife Joanna run a successful management consultancy from home. They are both committed to helping local development initiatives, much of which is given on a voluntary basis. Assisting the development of tourism in Te Urewera has been a key project for them. This involved the launch of a successful strategy to get five local operators trade-ready to attend this year’s TRENZ tourism trade show to promote themselves and the wider Te Urewera region, including Joe’s own tourism business - Te Urewera Treks.
What the tourism strategy 2015 means for Maori tourism
The New Zealand Tourism Draft Strategy 2015 envisages that:
“In 2010, visitors and their host communities understand and embrace the spirit of Manaakitanga (hospitality)…while New Zealander’s environment and culture is conserved and sustained in the spirit of Kaitiakitanga (Guardianship); and tourism is a vibrant and significant contributor to the economic development of New Zealand”.
Imbued in this vision are two key Maori concepts – Manaakitanga and Kaitiakitanga. In the context of the strategic vision, Manaakitanga is seen to mean, “sharing exceptional and natural hospitality, knowledge and beliefs on the basis of mutual respect between host and visitor”; and Kaitiakitanga means, “the guardianship and sustainable management of natural, built and cultural resources for the collective benefit of current and future generations”.
The strategy recognises that the long term future of New Zealand’s tourism sector depends on sustainable strategies for its economic, social, environmental and cultural goals.Sustainable development is seen to be that which “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
The intention of this presentation is to focus on the concept of Kaitiakitanga – traditional as well as contemporary meanings, understandings, relevance and usage from a Maori cultural perspective and to conclude by examining these aspects in the wider context of sustainable development as it relates to the NZ Tourism Draft Strategy and how this may be given practical effect.
Presentation notes
Ropata Taylor
Project manager
Wakatu Incorporation
Rōpata is Project Manager of Wakatu Incorporation with a focus on Tourism, Wine and Seafood. He was formerly a secondary school teacher at Nelson College and is a graduate of the University of Otago. He is the chair of the Nelson/Marlborough Conservation Board and is on the board of the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve. Rōpata is a Trustee of the Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust and Te Āwhina Marae. He has been involved in resource management, economic development, social distribution and political advocacy.
Presentation PDF
Darryl Wilson
Chief executive officer
Wilson’s Abel Tasman
Darryl is an advisor to Industry, Training and Ministerial Advisory Groups. The Wilsons have lived in the Nelson region for seven generations. Their connection to the land is recognised by local Maori Iwi, forming a business alliance designed to train pakeha and Maori in cultural tourism.
A partnership to deliver a cultural experience at Abel Tasman National Park
As direct descendants of the first European settlers to Nelson in 1841, the Wilson family is helping to preserve the European heritage of the region. They successfully use this point of difference in developing and marketing their range of tourism products in Abel Tasman National Park, including beachfront lodges, guided sea kayaking and walks, Vigour Water Taxi and Vista Cruise services.
Wakatu Incorporation represents the four iwi who had authority over the Nelson-Motueka-Golden Bay area at the time of European settlement. Acknowledging the Wilson family’s business skills and connection to the region, the iwi requested their assistance with their entry into tourism in the National Park.
Darryl Wilson and Ropata Taylor discuss the rewards and problems presented by combining the stories, experiences and influences of two cultures.
Amanda Symon
Curator
Ngai Tahu Maori Rock Art Trust
The Ngai Tahu Maori Rock Art Trust was established by Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu to assist with the management, protection and celebration of the Maori rock art sites within the iwi’s tribal boundaries. Amanda has a background in archaeology and heritage management, and has worked for Ngai Tahu in a variety of positions since 2000, taking up the role of curator for the trust in 2003. Amanda is a fifth generation Pakeha New Zealander, who has spent the majority of her life residing in the Otago region.
What is the extent and potential of Maori ecotourism in New Zealand?
The Ngai Tahu Maori Rock Art Trust, with the support of other stakeholders in the South Canterbury community, intends to establish a world-class Maori Rock Art Centre in Timaru. The Centre is designed to provide an authentic, educational, 'virtual' rock art experience in the heart of South Canterbury. This supports the trust's work in rock art conservation and management by raising awareness and appreciation of rock art, particularly in communities where a high number of sites are located. It also supports site preservation by relieving the pressure on the rock art sites in the region that are currently not adequately developed or protected for the increasing numbers of tourists seeking to visit them. Revenue from the centre will also contribute to the Trust's operational budget, ensuring that its work in rock art protection and management is supported in the long-term.
Presentation PDF
David Simmons
Professor of Tourism at Lincoln University and conference facilitator
David is a founding member of the Human Sciences Division and has been at Lincoln University since 1978. His research interests are currently focused on a major FORST-funded study of tourism planning in New Zealand communities. David is also active in the Sarawak (Malaysia) Certificate in Conservation and Ecotourism programme and in post-graduate education and extension activities.
David is a member of the Ecotourism NZ Advisory Group
