Regional Tourism Report – twt conservancy
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- Bu səhifədəki naviqasiya:
- Destination Name Destination type Estimated Visitor numbers
- 4.0 Opportunities, issues and challenges
- 4.1 Effect of global visitor trends on TWT Conservancy: Economic
- Tongariro Alpine and Lake Region
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Destination Name Destination type Estimated Visitor numbers Wanganui Journey Icon 10,000
Destination Name Destination type Estimated Visitor numbers "Mountain to the Sea" Cycle Trail Gateway 2800
Destination Name Destination type Estimated Visitor numbers Matemateaonga Track ‐ Kohi to Omaru Backcountry 1,200
Matemateaonga tk ‐ Omaru to Wanganui R Backcountry 880 Maraekowhai Tk to Ohura River waterfalls Backcountry 730
Trains tk Backcountry 522 Maraekowhai Historic Reserve (Nui Poles) Backcountry 500
Destination type Estimated Visitor numbers Raukawa Falls Viewing Platform Local Treasure 20,000
Gordon Park Scenic Reserve Local Treasure 5,994 Pipiriki Toilet/Shelter (RDC building) Local Treasure 4,000
Wanganui River Road Information Kiosk Local Treasure 3,000
and managed as higher level (serviced) accommodation, available in conjunction with other mountain biking opportunities (e.g. night rides, serviced camping and guided). A new multisport event across the Mountains to Sea cycle trail (including a mountain run and mountain bike day, kayak day, roadbike/run day) is also planned. A Wanganui Journey review and upgrade of the Wanganui Journey is scheduled to take place next summer (2014), taking into consideration partnerships and opportunities for growth in tourism for surrounding communities. A relating business case and marketing plan is currently being completed, including consultations with iwi around what the upgrade means for the future, how this compliments river road opportunities and other aspects.
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52 of 90 4.0 Opportunities, issues and challenges The preceding sections have outlined relevant trends drawn from available data and information sources relating to the TWT areas. These macro and micro level trends combine to present specific opportunities and pose challenges applicable to the whole TWT Conservancy, and to individual areas.
The following discussion identifies global level trends relating to changes in travelers’ social and demographic characteristics. These include economic and political developments, environmental trends impacting on tourist source markets and New Zealand, as well as technological advancement that will have an effect on tourism in general. This is intended to provide context for subsequent sections identifying opportunities for the individual TWT areas.
Economic
Increasing globalization results in easier access across borders and increased tourism flows to New Zealand, a proportion of which will be visiting the TWT areas. This will be most prevalent in the Chinese market with its restrictive travel policies. This barrier is predicted to become further relaxed and will contribute in growing visitors from China substantially. Large economies such as China and other emerging markets such as India, South America and South East Asia show strong economic growth. This, combined with the economic recovery in traditional main markets will potentially increase visitation to TWT areas (although global competition from international tourist destinations, as well as from domestic destinations perceived to be similar to the TWT regions will also increase as a consequence).
A new trend towards an ‘experience economy’ presents unique opportunities for the TWT destinations in providing memorable experiences with entertaining as well as educational (i.e. cultural) aspects.
Political developments could potentially counteract or stimulate these economic advances and influence tourist flows to New Zealand and the TWT destinations. While the impact of political uncertainty is difficult to predict, destinations such as New Zealand and the TWT areas are more likely to benefit due to having a relatively ‘safe’ destination image.
The predicted increase in potential travelers due to economic factors will also be influenced by ageing populations in developed countries and traditional main markets for New Zealand tourism. The age demographic of international visitors is predicted to rise. These new travelers have an increasing desire to maintain their health and will be more activity focused.
Travelers also increasingly seek ‘authentic’ tourism experiences, wishing to be more involved and engaged but at the same time seeking a variety of experiences. The opportunities for the TWT destinations are to offer a range of add‐on experiences in addition to the major ‘drawcards’ to the regions. This is already developing to some degree, with the cycle trail developments providing an alternative or additional activity in regions traditionally linked with skiing for example, or the variety of experiences on offer in Taupō’s ‘nature
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53 of 90 playground’. There is an opportunity to provide additional cultural and heritage attractions to meet the preference in the market for authentic experiences.
For winter sport‐oriented TWT regions (i.e. Ruapehu) one particular effect of importance resulting from global climate change is that on snow cover. A lack of snow cover threatens the viability of the winter sport industry and has the ability to impact negatively on the area’s peak season. Alternatives need to be developed, such as the cycle trails and other forms of activity to counteract this effect and ensure a sustainable tourism industry.
The increasing use of information and communication technology will change the way visitors to the TWT region gather information about the area, individual destinations and operators as well as how they subsequently book or purchase their experiences (including accommodation and activities). Knowledge and targeted use of these technologies will be essential for TWT areas to establish a competitive advantage over other regions, within New Zealand and internationally. 4.2 International and Domestic visitation trends and impact on TWT Conservancy: The TWT Conservancy as a whole will experience the changes in the visitor trip characteristics and demographic make‐up. The number of international visitors to New Zealand is growing, which will lead to an increase in visitation to the TWT regions as well.
However, overall, visitors are taking shorter trips and as a result spending less on their visit. International visitors have less time to visit a larger variety of destinations in New Zealand and within the TWT region. The TWT conservancy, from a destination point of view, will need to compete for a share of this reduced time budget with ‘must see’ icon and gateway attractions and a variety of ‘add‐on’ experiences as alternatives if the main activities are ‘not available’ (due to weather, for example). A variety of experiences can also assist in increasing the time spent in the area.
Despite the overall outlook for New Zealand, the TWT regions (especially Taupō and Ruapehu/Tongariro) are still strong in the traditional markets. This is due to the regions offering these markets a good mix of ‘famous’ or ‘must do’ attractions, as well as iconic nature experiences in keeping with the experiences sought on a visit to New Zealand. Furthermore Taupō and Ruapehu/Tongariro are ideally placed along the main tourist routes through the North Island.
The national participation trends as well as global demand trends show that there is by no means a negative outlook for the TWT Conservancy. Interest and participation in nature‐based activities is present in the new market and stable in the traditional markets. What is changing is demand for more front country‐based activities which are easier to access and of shorter duration. Improving access and developing products and marketing activities will not only retain the traditional markets (which are still strong in the TWT regions) but over time capture the growing proportions of the Australian and Chinese visitors who are ‘in the market’. Indeed, a short to medium term focus on getting the product and marketing mix right for the changing preferences of traditional markets, will pave the way to attract the growing target segments of the FIT Chinese and other Asian travelers. Current barriers exist in relation to access and the existence of a variety of ‘must do’ attractions, especially in the less popular Taranaki and Wanganui areas.
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54 of 90 Investment in opportunities that are easily accessible from Auckland and that offer short, instant immersion experiences in the natural environment, are likely to be more important than some traditional opportunities that DOC provide in view of the main stream visitor markets (such as multiday tramping or other multiday activities). There will always be specific niches who want the more traditional DOC offers. But they also need to be packaged or targeted specifically, easy to find choose and purchase.
The changing patterns of demand, driven by changing demographics and travel characteristics, open up strong partnership opportunities for DOC with private businesses and tourism marketing organisations such as the RTOs and economic development agencies. This is of special importance in less popular or iconic areas such as Taranaki and Wanganui, where a focus may be required on the development of nature‐based product to stimulate demand. However, in the more iconic Ruapehu and Taupō areas, partnerships will be important in managing demand and available natural resources, including conservation activities.
It has been said by the tourism experts that DOC should review the concession processes, making it easier to provide services on DOC land. For Taranaki it was said, for example, that there are multiple untapped opportunities on Mt Taranaki for businesses to increase their offerings for the market should access be made possible. The goal should be to increase attractive must‐do icon attractions in these areas from where increased and sustained demand can spread to the surrounding region with add on experiences and activities.
There may be benefit in DOC working with the weaker regions to build on their respective competitive advantages and unique features to create regional drawcards. This would in turn open up other opportunities to spread demand, as is the case with Ruapehu, Tongariro and Taupō for example. People are drawn to these iconic destinations and demand for additional activities flow from it, as is the case with the cycle trails.
Hence the following are recommended as high level priorities for DOC: Increase demand for experiences in Taranaki/Wanganui through development of ‘must do’ icons, partnerships, marketing and accessibility. Manage demand for Ruapehu/Taupō through development of ancillary attractions, partnerships and appropriate marketing support.
Future engagement with the natural environment is expected to be impacted greatly by population changes and recreation preferences. New Zealand’s population is increasingly urban, older, ethnically diverse and living in the north. It is believed that residents generally have less time and interest in the outdoors due to commitments such as work, competing urban events, a rising interest in technology, unfavourable weather conditions, traffic congestion and living costs. 60 Simultaneously, international visitors’ average length of stay is also decreasing, meaning that many people from overseas do not have the time to travel beyond the main gateways (i.e. Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington) or to destinations away from iconic attractions and transport routes.
DOC’s destination management needs to consider these changing customer preferences. With increasing competition for leisure time and travel costs it is foreseen that demand for traditional outdoor recreation will decline along with recruitment of new people into nature‐based activities. 61 Sport New Zealand reports that many people want to participate in activities where and when it suits them, without high levels of commitment. At the same time they seek high‐quality experiences and expect high quality recreation facilities across the spectrum of outdoor settings. This means that accessible facilities and information about what
60 Tourism Industry Association New Zealand, Submission To Inform The Outdoor Recreation Review, 2007 61 Department of Conservation, Destination management framework: A new approach to managing destinations, 2011
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55 of 90 opportunities exist are becoming increasingly important as more people choose to participate in informal recreation activities that are close to home and completed in one day. 62
The packaging and promotion of experiences is important. With a reduced skill set and knowledge of the outdoors as well as less disposable time, both international and domestic visitors need to be able to easily identify the experiences that are available in a region. Seeking activities that take under one day to complete means that experiences need to be packaged up in a way that is easily accessible, requires limited commitment and for which there are alternatives should the weather or other factors be unfavourable. Regions are encouraged to consider the total interests of visitors and their travel companions, offering a range of activities to experience the natural environment. An example is the sale of Taupō trout fishing licences which have reduced by over 23% over the last several years. While Taupō has an enduring strength in freshwater fishing, visitors are likely to travel with other family members with differing interests. To increase visitor numbers fishing could be linked to wider tourism experiences available in the area such as mountain biking and other activities. 63 Outdoor experiences can also be aimed at schools as this can play an important role in introducing young people to the outdoors and help build skills that will support their ongoing participation. 64
Overuse of natural resources or “intensification” is a potential issue for DOC as it continues to meet the requirements of visitors – and the more attractive destinations are to people engaging with the natural environment the more this is likely to be a concern. As visitation to DOC destinations increases there is a need to balance conservation requirements to maintain the natural experience that people seek. While part of DOC’s purpose is to provide opportunities for recreation and commercial use of conservation land, its objective is also to maintain and protect. The range of ways in which people engage with DOC destinations has the potential to create situations of conflict between groups and increased participation overall could lead to a negative impact on the environment. Settings for outdoor recreation need to be managed to protect them while providing opportunities for recreation activities. 65 Furthermore providing an escape from the stresses of everyday life is a critical role of outdoor recreation and uncrowded natural environments are an essential element of this 66 ; meaning that increasing visitor numbers may well detract from the core experience being offered. This indicates that regions should offer multiple experiences that appeal to visitors’ desire for easily accessible outdoor activities, therefore spreading visitor numbers across destinations.
As illustrated overleaf, key opportunities to encourage further outdoor participation include developing and promoting additional draw card destinations to spread engagement and encourage visitor flows across the TWT Conservancy. Each region within the conservancy currently has its own strengths and potential areas of development. It is recommended that DOC continues to work with Regional Tourism Organisations to consider the total experience that attracts visitors to a region and develops destinations that deliver on visitor expectations. This includes developing existing destinations so that they are appealing throughout the year and not just summer or winter. Broadly, Tongariro appears to be well balanced in terms of supply and demand for destinations and it is recommended that the area continues to promote its alpine and lake regions and develop existing infrastructure as popularity grows. Wanganui has the potential to link the conservancy if visitors are aware of specific attractions in the region – particularly along the Wanganui Journey and Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail. While some visitors may cross TWT areas via DOC destinations (such as the Wanganui River Journey and Forgotten Highway) the majority of visitors will use road networks to travel between regions. As such the development of key attractions along central roads is likely to attract people
62 Sport New Zealand, Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2009–2015, 2009 63 APR Consultants (prepared for DOC), Taupō Fisheries Economic Analysis, 2012 64 Sport New Zealand, Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2009–2015, 2009 65 Sport New Zealand, Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2009–2015, 2009 66 Lovelock, B., Jellum, C. and Thompson, A. Understanding Commitment and Involvement in Outdoor Recreation in New Zealand, University of Otago, 2011
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56 of 90 towards Wanganui’s main centre from Tongariro and onto Taranaki. The alpine region of Mount Taranaki has the potential to become a highly desired New Zealand destination among domestic and international visitors, following the popularity of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. This combined with promoting the Taranaki coastline (in line with Venture Taranaki tourism messaging) is likely to increase the overall appeal of Taranaki and encourage visitor flows from Wanganui and Tongariro. Map of Potential TWT Destination Priorities
Develop and promote single day activities based around the Mt Taranaki Alpine Region. Increase awareness of specific activities along the Whanganui Journey and encourage visitor flows across the TWT conservancy, from Tongariro/Lake Taupō to Taranaki. Develop existing infrastructure in the Tongariro Alpine and Lake Region to accommodate increasing popularity.
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57 of 90 4.3 New tourism and marketing approaches
Several new tourism product, service and marketing approaches have been recommended in light of the global changes in tourism demand: 67
Consumers should be educated to want new outdoor and adventure products which match environmental constraints. - For the TWT areas, diversification of available activities is the key, in line with targeted marketing to ‘educate’ the visitor on the variety of experiences on offer.
Niche products should be developed for local communities based on the strengths of local assets. - The Mountain to Sea Cycle Trail is one example where this is already taking shape in the region. - Other niche products based around local attractions, especially around the existing Icon, Gateway, Backcountry and Local Treasure destinations, will increase demand whilst at the same time spread this demand and provide additional benefits to the region.
Experiences of the ‘real destination’ (i.e. authentic experiences) should be developed more widely. - Again drawing on the specific strengths and unique visitor proposition of the individual TWT regions, authentic experiences such as unique cultural and heritage attractions will stimulate demand.
Industry needs to educate the New Zealand population that the regional product can be exciting and different to overseas. - TWT Conservancy covers a variety of geographical features, such as coastal, alpine, lakes, rivers and rural, which can provide exciting experiences on ‘people’s doorstep’ (in a domestic tourism and local recreational perspective).
Industry should better attempt to capitalise on the domestic short stay, time‐poor market. - Due to shorter stays and changes in activity preferences, accessibility and target marketing to domestic (and local) segments should be prioritized.
Industry needs to better appreciate the benefits of cooperative product and new service development. - The local tourism expert interviews confirmed that there are definite opportunities for DOC to increase cooperation with local industry in developing targeted products and services in the TWT areas.
development of local destination tours, both group and self drive/hire. - For the TWT regions this would primarily translate into improved accessibility to more remote areas off the main tourist routes.
It is important for the survival of business to ensure that its products do not become old or tired but are continually refreshed. - Specifically the popular Icon destinations need to be not only sustainably maintained to cater to increased demand but should also be complemented with new experiences where possible e.g. added cultural/educational aspects.
67
Dwyer L., Megatrends underpinning tourism to 2020: Analysis of key drivers for change. STCRC 2008
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58 of 90 Focus on a ‘service culture’. - A holistic view on customer service is important, which includes seamless integration of DOC products and services with local operators and partners.
Explore ambient technologies to interface with the visitor at multiple levels in the destination, as well as to value‐add the individual products and experiences. - New information and communication technology can enable a closer interaction with TWT destinations. Information websites and apps such as the Tongariro Pocket ranger are examples of this approach.
It will be important for destination managers to create differential experiences in their destinations to set themselves apart from competitor destinations. - This can be facilitated by capitalising on the unique visitor proposition of the individual TWT regions. Yüklə 1,6 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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