Sustainable Mori Tourism in Tai Tokerau

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Sustainable Mäori Tourism in Tai Tokerau

• James Henare Mäori Research Centre
• University of Auckland
• www.jhmrc.ac.nz

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Structure and Activity of the Research Done in
Each Area
Natural Resources for Tourism
Coral Grant
Community Workshops Resources for Tourism
Contact Community
Community Economy
Report
Val Lindsay
Simon Petricevich
Community Characteristics -Census
Analysis -Anthropological Analysis -Survey
Perception of Tourism
Charles Johnston
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JHMRC Mäori Tourism Research

• Outgrowth of Sustainable Economic Development
  Research
• FRST funding first obtained 1997
• Community based rohe selected by iwi rünanga
  field research planned at local level

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Initial Plan 1997
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Mäori Tourism

• Mäori owned
• Mäori control over design
• Mäori control over financial benefits

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Sustainability

• Management regulated for long-term operation
• Protection of communities from fatigue
• Enhance and promote authentic culture
• Utilize resources while protecting environment

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Community orientation

• Encourage individual endeavour
• Community as a whole makes crucial decisions
• Ideal does not always match reality

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Key Questions 1/4

• As tourism increasingly focuses on iwi, land and
  culture, what stake should Maori have in it?
• Survey of patterns of tourist demand
• Extent of Mäori participation in tourist industry
• (ownership / employment / associated economic
  activity)

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Key Questions 2/4

• How to ensure that Maori culture is enhanced by
  tourist activity, not diminished?
• Impact on human and cultural environments in
  selected regions
• Attractions
• Likely numbers
• Willingness of communities to be involved
• Ability to cope
• International comparisons

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Key Questions - 3/4

• Acceptable level of tourism in relation to
  natural environment
• Features
• Ecological sensitivity
• Concepts of sustainability
• Mäori
• Non-Mäori

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Key Questions 4/4

• Economic feasibility
• Owned/operated by Maori
• Joint ventures
• Community involvement
• Triple bottom line

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Starting Points
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Regional coverage

• North Hokianga 1997-8
• South Hokianga Kaikohe 1998
• Bay of Islands 1998-9
• Aupouri Peninsula 1999-2000
• Whangaroa Doubtless Bay 2001-2

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Other issues 2000-2003

• Wider issues of sustainability
• Implementation
• Small business support
• Rethinking Tourism
• Whanaungatanga Dynamics
• Urban/Rural links

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Interlinked approaches

• Meetings with individuals
• Community meetings
• Meetings with Government

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Ultimate goals - 1

• Improvements to Maori well-being and economic
  independence through putting in place a
  commercially viable alternative tourism which
  will provide them with commercial opportunities

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Ultimate goals - 2

• Diversifying New Zealands tourism product and
  contributing to the development of this industry
  sector
• Creation of a model for an alternative Maori
  sustainable cultural tourism which is
• Communal in its orientation
• Rooted in fundamental Maori values and principles
  

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Within and beyond the six rohe

• Collection of data to test model
• Create a network of businesses / entrepreneurs
• Regional, national and international spinoffs