AusLeisure

A new survey conducted by Wellington-based research and strategy specialists, Angus & Associates, endorses tourism’s potential to create employment and enrich local communities.

According to more than 30% of respondents in Angus & Associates’ on-going Views on Tourism research programme, as tourism returns post-pandemic, the local tourism industry should focus on job creation.

The survey clearly showed that post-recovery, New Zealanders were not expecting 'business as usual'. They wanted more investment in community infrastructure used by visitors, a greater focus on domestic tourism development and increased emphasis on sustainable tourism development.

Angus & Associates Managing Director, Cristine Angus advised that this result underlined the critical role that tourism could play in the country's economic recovery adding "few sectors, if any, can create jobs at scale in every community across New Zealand while also supporting other sectors, for example by providing a seasonal labour force for fruit picking or harvesting. So, it seems vital that we get the tourism industry back on its feet as quickly as possible and just as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

Angus also noted it was significant that the potential for job creation was equally important to Kiwis from both North and South Island centres.

Younger Kiwis would also like to see additional focus on reducing visitor impact on their local environment, and helping visitors to reduce their carbon footprint and adopt more sustainable travel practices.

Angus highlights that this was in line with the current industry discussion on “reimagining tourism” and the new Tourism Futures Taskforce, an independent public private partnership established by the government to lead thinking on the future of tourism in New Zealand.

Consumer sentiment also supported the view that, as tourism returns, infrastructure investment will be essential to realising the economic benefits and effectively managing visitor growth.

Angus explains that until recently, community sentiment about tourism had been largely unknown,  as there had been a lack of in-depth research into how Kiwis perceived an industry that played such a huge part in New Zealand’s economy and added “it’s crucial that industry, local and central government consult with communities about what they want from tourism.

“Resetting and reimagining tourism via an industry and ministerial focus group without meaningful community research and engagement could be a path to poor policy decision making.”

Angus & Associates plan to release a series of insights around community views on tourism over the coming months. This will come as the industry and government begin work on resetting the levers that influence the performance of the sector which, until year end March 2019, was New Zealand’s biggest export industry contributing 20.4% of total exports.

Launched in 2017, Angus and Associates’ Views on Tourism research programme seeks insights from people in New Zealand, Australia and Ireland about their opinions on tourism, its benefits and its costs to them and their local communities. The survey data is building a valuable research resource for the tourism sector.

The latest data was collected between June 2020 and September 2020, and these findings are based on a sample of 770 New Zealanders aged 18 years or over. The sample is population representative as per the last census data.

The survey asked respondents what they would like their local tourism industry to most focus on in the future. Options included environmental themes such as reducing the carbon footprint of visitors, visitor impact on the local environment, safety, employment and infrastructure, increasing tourism’s value, attracting domestic vs. international visitors, promoting authentic experiences, and consultation with communities.

Image top: Wellington courtesy of New Zealand Now and image above Angus and Associates’ NZ tourism infographic

Related Articles

9th October 2020 - New Zealand’s tourism industry needs improved data and research for revival

7th October 2020 - Analysis shows New Zealand tourism industry reeling from COVID-19 crisis

5th October 2020 - CINZ advises business events given green light across New Zealand

2nd October 2020 - Borders open between New Zealand and NSW as Queensland Government lifts stadia capacities

28th September 2020 - Entertainment Technology New Zealand backs global #WeMakeEvents campaign

28th September 2020 - New Zealand welcomes return of international sporting events

22nd September 2020 - Auckland’s Rainbow’s End among tourism businesses to benefit from New Zealand Government grant

11th September 2020 - Jonas Leisure onboards Australian and New Zealand councils remotely during COVID-19

11th September 2020 - Councils and industry groups welcome New Zealand Government’s allocation of $50 million for events

10th September 2020 - Entertainment and events industry leaders say New Zealand Government is letting the sector ‘slowly die’

7th September 2020 - New Zealand event associations’ recent survey highlights continued impact of COVID-19 restrictions

4th September 2020 - New Zealand tourism industry event to focus on revival and revitalisation

27th August 2020 - New Zealand tourism industry redoubles sustainability efforts

28th July 2020 - New Zealand tourism industry bodies unite to highlight need for ongoing Government assistance

23rd July 2020 - Tourism Industry Aotearoa reveals action plan for New Zealand’s next Government

8th July 2020 - CINZ and TNZ renew commitment to promoting business events to New Zealand

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.