The sun has set on the past, as Central Otago today confirmed its ambitious long-term tourism vision through the lens of the newly released Central Otago Destination Management Plan (DMP).
Over the past two years the Central Otago District Council, Kāi Tahu (via Aukaha), residents, tourism operators, and national bodies have worked together to deliver a plan that outlines a 50-year vision. The plan sets the scene for what the region’s tourism future should look like, together with a defined set of 10 strategies for achieving these “future states”.
“The plan has taken a co-design approach alongside Kāi Tahu and reflects their intergenerational thinking,” Tourism Central Otago Destination Development and Marketing Manager Anthony Longman said.
“The values and leadership shared has been invaluable. This is known as whanaukataka - or kinship - and we believe that it is by creating this strong sense of connection and common purpose that tourism can make a lasting difference.
“We are on a journey to leave Central Otago better for locals and visitors and see that tourism can be a vehicle to achieve these future states. Not just for current generations, but generations into the future.”
The 10 strategies include: environmental stewardship, talent attraction, placemaking, cross sector collaboration, product development and the critical element of establishing sustainable future funding for destination management.
Tourism Central Otago General Manager Dylan Rushbrook summed it up:
“Having a plan and strategies for how to achieve a vision is one thing but having the necessary resource and funding to take action is essential for progress to even begin.
“Our research clearly shows that the benefits of tourism go well beyond traditional tourism businesses, and the impacts and issues come from all visitors – regardless of whether they are local or international. There is currently a high risk for the establishment of a complex and confusing web of levies and fees across the country that will not be well received by anyone. A domestic visitor brings the same benefits and burdens as an international visitor, so in my view there needs to be a national conversation around how we appropriately levy all visitor types to fund the management of tourism and associated burdens that currently fall to local ratepayers.”
Central Otago’s Destination Management Plan had been one of the largest pieces of quantitative research and community consultation ever undertaken in order to understand the long-term future our communities want from tourism, Central Otago District Council Chief Executive Sanchia Jacobs said.
“As an organisation committed to delivering on our communities’ vision for its future, this DMP will be integral to charting workstreams towards those outcomes. There are many reasons to be proud of the outcomes from this significant piece of work for our team, but for me, it has to be Kāi Tahu’s partnership with us that has inspired the adoption of an intergenerational approach to the final plan. The whakataukī gifted to us by Kāi Tahu for our DMP is something to treasure, as it encapsulates the strength of working together in partnership to achieve a goal.
"Ko Te Toa i a Tini i a Mano o Te Takata: We possess the strength of many; it is the contribution of the multitudes that ensures success."
Nigel Fell, President and CEO of the World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH.org) said: “Research clearly indicates the future of responsible and sustainable tourism will be lofted upon the uniqueness of people and place, and how and why we choose to protect and preserve those sacred things that make us who we are. This plan does just that. The organisation commends Tourism Central Otago on their approach to seek, embrace, and champion Kāi Tahu’s values as the foundation for their Destination Management Plan.”
A series of community and stakeholder sessions are now planned to bring the final plan out across the region during October. The roadshow will be a chance for everyone to come along, ask questions, get an understanding of the plan and how they could get involved. Details of these events, plus the plan and associated research are available HERE.
LINK: Tourism Futures Community Engagement Survey (now live)
LINK: Central Otago Destination Management Plan webpage
*Note content via this link will not be updated until 5am Friday 26 August 2022
For more information:
Contact:
Anthony Longman, Tourism Central Otago, Destination Development and Marketing
E: Anthony.longman@codc.govt.nz
M: 021721770
Dylan Rushbrook, Tourism Central Otago, General Manager
E: Dylan.rushbrook@codc.govt.nz
M: 0212850625
Additional Information
Tourism Central Otago is one of 31 Regional Tourism Organisations (RTO) in New Zealand. MBIE provided funding to all 31 RTOs in response to impacts of COVID-19 on tourism, enabling RTOs to develop Destination Management Plans. Tourism Central Otago was allocated $1,700,000 over two funding rounds, with 25% put towards marketing and the remaining 75% allocated to projects relating to destination management and destination development.
Tourism Central Otago is the tourism management and marketing division of Central Otago District Council.
Aukaha is a Rūnaka based consultancy service with Governance from five Rūnaka owners: Te Rūnanga o Waihao; Te Rūnanga o Moeraki; Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki; Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou; Hokonui Rūnanga.
The World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH.org) is the global authority on the protection and preservations of cultural heritage assets through the development of responsible, sustainable and ethical tourism practices and policies. WTACH is a ‘Not for Profit’ membership organisation that seeks to ensure that the unique attributes, history and cultural values of the world’s communities are celebrated and preserved for generations to come.
