The implications of climate change for glacier recreation and tourism at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand

Abstract

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is an iconic alpine destination in New Zealand, attracting thousands of visitors annually with its wide array of recreational opportunities. In recent years, however, the many glaciers within the Park have been experiencing increasingly rapid recession. The implications of glacial recession for tourism and recreation, as well as the perspectives held by various stakeholders, has been relatively unexplored. A mixed-method approach was adopted to investigate the glacier experience from the perspectives of visitors, tourism operators and park managers, and an assessment of the effects of climate-induced changes on recreation and toursim was undertaken. Perceptions of glacier-related climate change significance and level of awareness were investigated through visitor surveys (n=400) and key informant interviews (n=12) in order to better understand the impacts on visitor experiences. Results revealed that the importance of viewing the glaciers was not a major motive for people visiting the Park, however the level of awareness around climate change and glacial recession suggests there is potential for a ‘last-chance tourism’ dimension to emerge. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate a high capacity for adaptation among key informants under current changing climatic conditions. These results are discussed in light of the implications for tourism operators and protected area managers.