Regional food futures: Post-quake pandemics and planning for what comes next in Kaikōura

Abstract

For the past forty years, Kaikōura’s reputation as a tourist destination has been constructed primarily around the marine mammals that inhabit and pass along the coastline. While whale watching is undoubtedly the most well-known of these activities, dolphin and seal encounters feature prominently in promotional material and visitors’ itineraries. What these attractions have in common is that their market is primarily the international tourist, rather than the many domestic visitors who take holidays in the town. In November 2016, a large magnitude earthquake struck the North Canterbury region, significantly impacting Kaikōura and its tourism industry. The seabed and foreshore were uplifted nearly 2m in places, severely damaged the marina and limited operation of boat tours, while State Highway 1 and the rail network which run through the region were not fully operational for more than a year. The aftermath of the earthquake saw substantial community debate about the future of the town, and in particular, concern about the region’s dependence on a highly seasonal international tourist market. More recently, just as optimism was building about the forthcoming season the rapid spread of the virus SARS-CoV-2 and associated COVID-19 disease has created complex new challenges for Kaikōura and other destinations throughout New Zealand. Border closures and the loss of international tourists combined with domestic economic pressures, are compounding socio-economic insecurity and uncertainty. For the second time in five years, Kaikōura’s tourism industry and wider community is faced with a need to (re)imagine their town for a more resilient future. Drawing on four years of community based research, and the results of interviews, workshops and surveys, we discuss the significance of place attachment and a strong sense of place is providing residents with the impetus to participate in debates over the form – and role - of tourism in a more resilient regional economy. In particular, this analysis will be framed around the role of seafood/kai moana in this debate. Throughout the last five years, a strong narrative has emerged around the need to diversify the region’s economy to enhance food security and strengthen supply chains, with seafood/kai moana featuring strongly. We will explore the role of seafood/kai moana in these debates, as a destination image and attraction for tourists, a symbol of cultural and ecological wellbeing, and as an economic and recreational resource for locals and visitors alike.