Environment tourism focus

LOOKING after the environment and the people within the tourism industry is emerging as a new focus for operators as tourist numbers surge.

Two South Island tourism businesses, Real Journeys and Ngai Tahu, told media at the Trenz event in Dunedin yesterday about their work in the area.

It comes as the industry body Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) works to deal with poor perceptions of tourism’s effects, and to make it more sustainable.

TIA chief executive Chris Roberts told Trenz this week ‘‘a small number of badly behaving freedom campers’’ could colour the public’s perception of tourism.

The industry needed to operate smarter and more sustainably so New Zealand could benefit as much as possible.

He also noted New Zealand’s ratio of annual arrivals to population was 0.8 to one.

Ireland had two arrivals for every resident, and Iceland had more than five.

Despite that, the TIA late last year launched its ’’sustainability commitment’’, which provided benchmarks and advice for tourism operators.

Real Journeys chief executive Richard Lauder said his company, which runs tourism operations across the South, including the TSS Earnslaw in Queenstown, was investing in employees as part of its response.

That including raising its mini mum wage to $20 an hour early this year, which helped the likes of call centre and hospitality workers.

It had also developed inhouse training for maritime staff and others.

To help the community it offered discounts for locals and free tickets to organisations for fundraising.

It was working on reducing carbon emissions and waste.

Mr Lauder said there were benefits from the work, including Real Journeys being considered ‘‘a good company’’ when it came to working with the likes of local government.

Ngai Tahu has 13 tourism businesses in the South offering ecotourism and adventure experiences and has 500 employees.

Chief executive Quinton Hall said Ngai Tahu had signed up to the TIA sustainability commitment and the Paris Accord.

It hosted about one million people a year, and took its kaitiaki (guardian) role seriously, planting trees and getting involved in pest eradication.

It ran a kiwi hatchery at its Rainbow Springs operation and was keen to help the tourism industry get better at te reo.