Address on “Ecotourism” to the United Nations Association of New Zealand

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to the UN International Year of Ecotourism theme. It is particularly appropriate – given the increasingly important part ecotourism plays, within the overall New Zealand tourism sector.

Ecotourism has a particular attraction, because it offers a potential means of achieving sustainable development in tourism.

While the UN designating 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism has recognised the significant role that eco-tourism can play, it also provides us with the opportunity to assess the development of ecotourism in New Zealand, and plan its future direction.

The first challenge I suggest in discussing ecotourism is establishing a widely accepted definition for it. Ecotourism is a notion used by many, yet, some would say, understood by few.

There is often confusion over the distinction between ecotourism and the wider field of nature-based tourism.

If the sector is to develop effectively in New Zealand it is important that the confusion is cleared up.

Nature-based tourism can be viewed as tourism with a primary focus on experiencing natural areas. Ecotourism is essentially, at least at this time, a sub-set of this sector.

The International Ecotourism Society in 1991 produced one of the earliest definitions. They proposed that:
"Ecotourism is responsible travel, to natural areas, that conserves the environment and sustains the well being of local people."

So while the term ecotourism refers on one hand to a specific market segment, it is also a concept based on a set of principles and behaviours.

In the years since the concept was first defined, a general consensus has formed on these principles. Ecotourism should, it is held:
·Contribute to conservation of biodiversity.
·Sustain the well being of local people.
·Include an interpretation / learning experience.
·Involve responsible action on the part of tourists and the tourism industry.
·Require the lowest possible consumption of non-renewable resources.
·Stress local participation, ownership and business opportunities, particularly for rural people.

These principles have clearly struck a chord with many travellers and internationally, ecotourism has shown itself to be an as yet relatively small but rapidly growing market segment.
For countries around the world, the International Year of Ecotourism offers an opportunity to review ecotourism experiences and to decide how best to maximise the economic, environmental and social benefits and protections.

At the launch of the International Year of Ecotourism in New York, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Louise Frechette, stated that the ecotourism goal of conserving the environment and preserving cultures, can only be achieved with the co-operation and full commitment of all stakeholders – governments and relevant non-government organisations, the private sector, host communities and, of course, the tourists themselves.

The importance of this kind of stakeholder co-operation is something that I have been actively promoting and encouraging from the time I became Minister of Tourism.

Like all forms of sustainable tourism, ecotourism is a dynamic field with new techniques and approaches evolving every year.

So, responsible businesses must be encouraged to manage tourism activity properly with guidelines, certification and regulation. And local destinations must be ready to properly fund ecotourism management, or they will risk damaging their natural and cultural resources and, ultimately their position in a rapidly growing international market.

In New Zealand, setting the desired direction for ecotourism growth is arguably, even more important than in most other countries around the world. The natural environment is central to the New Zealand brand and many of our tourism products, and, I suggest even more importantly, it is fundamental to who we are, and to our ultimate responsibilities of care and guardianship on behalf of future generations.

Ecotourists are particularly interested in wilderness settings and pristine locations, and clearly, New Zealand has a competitive advantage in these areas.

Our “clean green” image has been, and continues to be, the envy of countries around the world. But I want to be clear – it is one of our great challenges to work to live up to, and sustain that image. There can be no doubt that a successful ecotourism sector is invaluable in ensuring that we do meet that challenge.

And, I think it is fair to say that, at just over a decade old, the New Zealand ecotourism sector has begun with positive steps. Research undertaken by Otago University indicates that the ecotourism sector consists of around 250 operations, spread throughout the country. They are predominantly small and owner-operated.

The largest single source of visitors to New Zealand eco-operations is from within our own shores, while the international market is dominated by the United Kingdom and the United States. They tend to be independent travellers and enjoy exploring off the beaten track.

Of course, Ecotourism operations involve a great range of activities including guided treks of our forests and national parks, tours around volcanic landscapes, exploration of high country stations, diving excursions and bird and marine life observation.

A well-known example of the capabilities of ecotourism is provided by Whalewatch Kaikoura - one of our earliest established and most successful ecotourism businesses.

Whalewatch have taken one of New Zealand’s unique natural features and built a business enterprise around it that has received international awards as one of the world’s leading ecotourism operations.

Their efforts illustrate the level of success a tourism business can reach while still leaving the natural resources they draw on relatively unaltered.

I was pleased to recently announce my appointment of Wally Stone, Executive chair of Whale Watch Kaikoura, as Chair of Tourism New Zealand.

The environmental philosophy behind ecotourism businesses such as Whalewatch aligns strongly with the goals set out in the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010.

This Strategy, released last year, is a joint sector and Government cooperative initiative that seeks to maximise the benefits of tourism in New Zealand over the next ten years.

The first of the four main strategy objectives is “to secure and conserve a long term future”.

In particular, the Strategy aims to “recognise the value of the natural environment and actively protect, support and promote its sustainability”. This aligns well with the principles of ecotourism I refered to earlier – the ecotourism sector is in fact an ideal means to promoting these goals.

Another benefit of ecotourism is that it is largely non-seasonal. Improved spread was another key objective identified by the Tourism Strategy, and again, getting tourists to visit different places at different times of the year, is a real contributor to sustainable growth.

The New Zealand Tourism Strategy aims to take the sort of sustainability principles that have been demonstrated in ecotourism businesses and apply these to the entire tourism sector.

The planning and development of tourism infrastructure, its subsequent operation, and its marketing should focus on environmental, cultural, social as well as economic sustainability criteria.

This is an admirable, indeed, in my view, an essential objective for all tourism businesses.

With a sector wide approach, and effective support from the Government, we can seek to ensure that New Zealand continues to provide and further enhance a quality tourism experience.

In closing, the global growth of tourism brings with it many challenges. Ecotourism should not be underestimated as a significant vehicle for responding to those challenges in New Zealand, and as a means of promoting the core values and practices essential to the long term protection of our unique heritage.

I wish you all well for the remainder of your conference and thank you again for the opportunity to address you this afternoon.