An institutional analysis of tourism in Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand 1970-1997

Abstract

Tourism in Mount Cook National Park between 1970 and 1997 is described and explained using a model of institutional analysis put forward by Memon and Selsky (1994). Memon and Selsky propose that when a public agency is responsible for management of a natural resource with many competing uses, the agency will make either incremental, comprehensive or symbolic changes to its management in order to achieve desired environmental and social outcomes. Archival research and qualitative interviews with key stakeholders were used to apply and test Memon and Selsky's model. It was found that the public agency responsible for management of Mount Cook National Park made incremental changes to its management regime between 1970 and 1987. These changes were made reluctantly to accommodate the demands of tourism operators based inside and on the periphery of the park. Comprehensive change has occurred since 1987 and is associated with formation of a new public agency, having a broad mandate but with limited capacity for its implementation. Symbolic changes were not observed.

Values of the public agency and other stakeholders and the decision-making arrangements, are identified as the two most important institutional factors affecting the management of tourism and subsequent outcomes for the park. Commercial values appear to supersede park conservation values in the decision-making process. A critique of Memon and Selsky's model, future research requirements and implications for park management are discussed.