The landscape of tourism: a case study of the development of Rotorua : a dissertation submitted for partial fulfilment of the Diploma in Landscape Architecture, Lincoln College

Abstract

The presence of tourists and tourism has, over the decades, increased in importance on a national, regional and local scale. Both the physical and cultural components of the total landscape have been affected in many ways. When taking an historical perspective, the original landscape character stood on its own to attract the tourist. Publicity hype has grown to distort these past landscape assets. A large discrepancy between reality and the image presented in the publicity hype is a situation far from ideal. Because of this discrepancy a need to create new experiences is emerging for many reasons. Creation of contrived effects, for example, tends to detract from the uniqueness of a place. Risk of a could-be-anywhere, placeless, standardised image is threatening our identity as New Zealanders. Part One initially fits tourism into broader perspective. Justification for creating new experiences is reinforced in the following chapters examining the physical and social impact of tourism. This includes identifying the need to recognise that tourism involves sequential experience of landscape.

The holistic overview, encompassing national, regional and local levels to establish continuity of experience is also examined as well as this. It is important to gain an understanding of sense of place so that our New Zealand sense of identity can be established with which we can be proud to share with tourists. The case study is used to illustrate these points. Rotorua is a classic example of how reality, over time, now presents an image vastly different from that existing in reality. Guidelines and recommendations are aimed at those concerned with the quality of experience of our total landscape. The Rotorua District Council are in a position to take steps to improve the quality of tourists and host experience. There is a need for a more holistic approach providing cohesion in our 'landscape of little landscapes. The creation of tourism protection zones parallel to our ecological district schemes are suggested as the means to integrate the landscape of tourism within the total landscape. Objectives of this study are to: [I] Identify the impact of tourism upon the landscape. [2] Examine the physical and cultural context of the tourist experience. [3] Trace both the changes in tourist experience and the physical changes that result from, and influence, this. [4] Compare reality with the publicity hype [a fraud]. [5] Suggest that there is a need to create a new landscape of experience.