Preparing for climate change risks in the destination management plans of Regional Tourism Organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

Climate change impacts are being experienced by tourist destinations around the world, with Aotearoa New Zealand being no exception. Recent extreme weather events have severely impacted the tourism system in the country, necessitating consideration of emergency management by destination tourism organisations across the ‘4 Rs’ (risk reduction, readiness, response, and recovery). In 2020, the New Zealand government mandated the country’s regional tourism organisations (RTOs) to develop destination management plans (DMPs) which explicitly addressed risk and crisis management. This paper analyses the completed DMPs to examine the extent to which they address risk and crisis management in destination management, particularly as this relates to the likely impacts of climate change. Findings reveal considerable differences in the extent to which these issues are addressed. While some DMPs include detailed and specific assessments of natural hazard risks in their region, other plans make no mention of the issue at all, or include generic statements. Generally the plans give greater consideration to climate change mitigation, particularly as it relates to lowering carbon emissions, than to climate change adaptation or to preparing for risks and crises by developing emergency management plans. The paper concludes by highlighting challenges in the current RTO system, whereby funding and resources differ greatly between regions.