Best practice policies for local government management of natural assets developed for tourists

Abstract

With the tourism sector now a significant contributor to the New Zealand economy ($5.9 billion direct tourism value added in the year ended March 2003), and strong growth patterns forecast to continue for the 2003-2009 period, concerted attempts to manage natural assets must now not only be made, they must also have a degree of success. It is recognised that unlike the Department of Conservation (DoC), which has a high degree of 'ownership' of the natural assets that they manage, territorial and regional authorities tend to administer the natural assets within their jurisdiction. Consequently new and different approaches are needed from those used by DoC. This strengthening of focus on tourism represents a turning point for local and territorial authorities which have historically played a less active role in the tourism sector. An initial assessment of a sample of district and regional authority plans revealed that there were references to methods for dealing with a diversity of environmental issues, and this indicates in a very general way, the impacts of tourism on natural assets are being considered. It is recognised that until now territorial and regional authorities have had to work with a statutory framework that does not specifically take tourism into account, leading to a predominantly reactive approach to administering natural assets. The demands of a rapidly growing tourism sector, however, now require a more strategic and proactive approach. A raft of new enabling frameworks and processes is needed to focus resources on the impacts of tourism on natural assets, as well as ensuring that the tourism sector develops in a sustainable way.