British Destinations

Physically worlds apart but sadly somehow so familiar?

Posted on May 31, 2017

Thanks to the Linkedin group – A New Models for Destination Marketing run by Martyn Collins for sharing a fascinating article that explores the ostensibly world-beating tourism in New Zealand and some of the issues around the need for destination management, who benefits from it and who pays for it and how.

A longish article, not easily scanned, it is well worth the effort to read in full, as it is littered with references that will have resonance for many destination managers here in the UK.  The relationship between and current attitudes towards local tourism delivery and the National Government in New Zealand, does sound all rather familiar does it not?  As perhaps do some of the throw away lines on associated social and economic issues, for example, around house pricing and affordable accommodation for local tourism workers.

Will one man’s views on tourism in New Zealand make a difference?  Probably not on its own but it is all grist to the mill in our effort to get proper recognition of the critical importance of effective local destination management and its funding, better recognition and appropriate national through to local support for domestic tourism, alongside international tourism, a better understanding that marketing alone isn’t the be all and end all of local tourism support and so on.

Feel free to share the link, but if you do then please consider crediting Martyn’s group for highlighting the article.  Note for an approximate sterling value half the financial figures given ($1 NZ dollar currently = c£0.55):

https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/11-05-2017/the-tourism-boom-is-destroying-our-best-destinations-can-anything-be-done-to-fix-it/