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Source: New Zealand Government
The Tourism and Conservation Ministers say today’s report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) adds to calls to overhaul the tourism model that existed prior to COVID19.
“The PCE tourism report joins a chorus of analysis which has established that previous settings, which prioritised volume over value, are not sustainable,” says Stuart Nash.
“The push for more sustainable tourism when our borders re-open is gathering pace.
“It is too early to respond in detail to the PCE recommendations, which require in-depth consideration by a number of government agencies. But the report is a timely challenge to many assumptions which underpin our tourism industry.
A departure tax, enforcing visitor limits in under pressure destinations and tighter controls on commercial operators have been flagged as part of an overhaul of the tourism industry.
Daily visitor numbers at Milford Sound were regularly exceeded before Covid-19 hit the sector, Simon Upton says (file pic).
Photo: 123RF
It follows a 2019 report from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that found that tourism is less environmentally benign than it has often been made out to be.
Today commissioner Simon Upton released four proposals to help the industry become more sustainable and urged the government to take advantage of the pause in international tourism.