Tourism industry announces strategic priorities

Tourism Industry Aotearoa has revealed five joint priority areas for immediate action with government agencies to ensure a sustainable tourism future for New Zealand.

The key areas identified are:
1. Sustainable growth
2. Improved data and insight
3. Building the tourism workforce
4. Destination management and planning, and
5. Carbon and climate change.

The announcement was made in Wellington at this morning’s first session of Tourism Summit Aotearoa by Chris Roberts, TIA Chief Executive, and Iain Cossar, Tourism General Manager at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

The identification of these joint priorities follows the release earlier this year of two separate, but closely aligned, strategic frameworks by TIA and the Government. The purpose of both documents is to ensure the many benefits of tourism in New Zealand are realised, while managing the impacts. TIA and MBIE worked together to ensure close alignment of the two frameworks, and will continue to collaborate on actions that prioritise the newly-identified focus areas.

Chris Roberts says, “Like the industry, the Government wants tourism growth to be productive, sustainable and inclusive. We can only achieve that by steering the waka in the same direction.”

To safeguard New Zealand’s tourism future, TIA refreshed and refocused the 2014 Tourism 2025 Growth Framework, unveiling Tourism 2025 & Beyond – a Sustainable Growth Framework Kaupapa Whakapakari Tāpoi at the premier annual tourism event TRENZ in May. The framework places sustainability firmly at its heart and is built on a foundation of the Māori values of kaitiakitanga (guardianship), manaakitanga (hospitality) and whanaungatanga (belonging).

The New Zealand-Aotearoa Government Tourism Strategy was also unveiled at TRENZ 2019 by Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage.

Of the two strategic frameworks, Kelvin Davis said: “One activates Government and the other activates industry - bring these together and we can jointly advance the tourism industry for the benefit of New Zealanders.”

Iain Cossar says, “Achieving Sustainable Tourism will boost our economy, create regional prosperity, protect and improve our environment and increase New Zealanders’ quality of life and wellbeing.”

“There are actions we need to take now to ensure we get the future we want. With these joint priorities identified, and with some important work already underway, we can achieve the Government’s vision of enriching New Zealand-Aotearoa through sustainable tourism growth”.

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