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Environment
New Zealand's clean, green environment is a major attraction for international visitors and a key aim of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy is that “the tourism sector takes a leading role in the protecting and enhancing the environment”.
The Ministry of Economic Development’s Tourism Strategy Group has undertaken a range of environment-related policy work.
- Conservation
- New Zealand Freedom Camping Forum
- Climate Change
- Sustainable Tourism Advisors in Regions (STAR)
- Tourism Carbon Footprint Project
- Environmental indicators
Conservation
New Zealand’s natural environment and landscapes motivate many people to visit New Zealand.
The Ministry of Economic Development works closely with the Department of Conservation on issues relevant to both tourism and conservation, including:
- Undertaking a Concessions Review Project to consider if the concession process meets the needs of applicants while preserving conservation values
- Participating in the Tourism on Conservation Lands Forum – fostering a strong working partnership between government agencies, industry representatives and non-government organisations
- Providing funding for the development of an Interpretation Resources Kit.
Find out more
Department of Conservation website
New Zealand Freedom Camping Forum
‘Freedom camping’ is camping away from sites recognised as camping grounds, and can include camping in a caravan, bus, car, tent or campervan. Freedom camping in the wrong places or without appropriate management is having negative environmental, social and economic impacts in some regions.
The Ministry of Economic Development is a member of the New Zealand Freedom Camping Forum (NZFCF), convened in December 2007 by the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA), in response to concerns about the impact of freedom camping.
Find out more
New Zealand Freedom Camping Forum website
Climate Change
New Zealand's distance from most key tourism markets makes journey-related greenhouse gas emissions, costs, and consumer perceptions key issues for the sector.
Industry and government have worked together to develop a Tourism and Climate Change Plan that identifies the key priorities and highlights actions that can be taken to help the sector respond effectively.
Find out more
Sustainable Tourism Advisors in Regions (STAR)
The Sustainable Tourism Advisers in the Regions (STAR) Programme provides tourism operators with tools for improving their environmental performance in nine regions in New Zealand.
The nine regions in the STAR programme are:
- Auckland
- Central Otago
- Coromandel
- Hawke’s Bay
- Marlborough
- North Canterbury
- Queenstown
- Wairarapa and
- Wellington.
Each of these regions received NZ$88,000 funding over three years (commencing in 2008) to employ a sustainability adviser to work one-on-one with tourism operators. The Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) have contributed funds to the project, and operators have also contributed financially for the service.
Tourism Carbon Footprint Project
The Ministry of Economic Development worked with Lincoln University to develop generic sector-wide tools to assist tourism businesses to measure and reduce their carbon footprint. We are now working with Qualmark to host a modified version of the tool on their website.
Find out more
Environmental indicators
The Ministry of Economic Development has led a project to identify environmental indicators for New Zealand tourism.
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