What is regenerative tourism – and how can we move towards it?

‘Regenerative tourism’ is the aspiration at the core of 29 destination management plans (DMP) prepared by communities across New Zealand, aiming to reinvent how Aotearoa New Zealand approaches and practises tourism post-Covid.

The then-government driven initiative made New Zealand unique globally in having an entire nation tasked with rethinking what we want from tourism and how to move forward, says University of Otago tourism professor Susan Houge Mackenzie.

But what exactly is regenerative tourism? How can and will this ideal be put into practice?

Houge Mackenzie’s research shows communities and their regional tourism organisations – including Destination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism – are “remarkably aligned” about how tourism should support thriving communities beyond simple economics.

Despite the strong community engagement in developing these council-agreed plans, the government has now pulled crown funding and devolved responsibility for them to the RTOs, reverting to the “outdated focus on simply increasing and/or spreading visitors across the regions.”

Houge Mackenzie says the “depleted and overburdened regional authorities” need national level financial and strategic support to achieve the clear goals tourism bodies and their communities have articulated through their DMPS.

Her Catalyst Kōrero will cover her research of DMP processes and outcomes across New Zealand, suggest models that work elsewhere, and lead discussion on how it might work locally.

A year ago, QLDC endorsed the DMP developed by DQ, LWT, Kāi Tahu and the Department of Conservation after two years’ consultation with our tourism industry and community. Its primary aim is to ensure tourism supports a thriving community by 2030 – environmentally, socially, culturally and economically. 

How might it do so? DQ CEO Mat Woods will also be on hand to join our Catalyst conversation.

Please bring cash for your koha.  This will be given to KiwiHarvest.