Is NZ Tourism living up to its campaign ‘100% Pure New Zealand’?

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Summary

• As per the latest latest report, Upton has suggested tourism industry to compensate for the services and environment damage inflicted by them.
• Stats NZ mentioned that GHG emissions reduced by 8.1% during the lockdown period but increased by 9.1% in the following 3 months.
• 100% Pure New Zealand narrates the story of the nation’s distinctive blend of individuals, terrains, and interests, which separates it from rest of the world.

NZ’s Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, on 18 February 2021, voiced his opinion in his 2^nd report of Tourism’s Environmental Effects, and called for curbing the biased treatment given to the country’s tourism industry.

He was quoted as saying that NZ’s largest export ‘tourism industry’ should compensate for the services utilised by them and the damage caused to the country’s environment.

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Report on Upton's Tourism Environmental Effects

Upton, in his second report, stressed on the 4 fundamental policies to address the issue of environmental impact by the New Zealand tourism.

In view of a clean and sustainable tomorrow, the Government must get hold of the benefit of the coronavirus pandemic-instigated gap in international tourism. So, there is a remarkable reduction in the exploitation of the environment.

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His fundamental 4 policy recommendations include:

• Initiation of Departure Tax,
• Reinforcing the rules and regulations to tackle the loss of wilderness and the natural beauty of New Zealand by the Department of Conservation,
• Introducing the future investments of the Government for tourism mechanism conditional on environmental issues, and
• Reinforcing the existing standard for self-contained freedom camping.

Tourism, the biggest export industry of New Zealand

NZ Tourism’s USP and its distinguishing features include the scenic beauty and natural serene environment. However, the GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions are taking a toll on the beautiful landscapes and parks. It has put a burden on the solid waste infrastructure and wastewater network across the nation, as a huge number of tourists throng the Kiwi land.

If no changes are made in the existing business models, they will have catastrophic effects on the natural beauty of NZ, which is the prime attraction for the visitors.

Effects of Lockdown on the Emission of Greenhouse Gases

Last year, level 4 lockdown started in NZ, from 25 March 2020 which lasted up to 26 April 2020, and gradually shifted to alert level 1 by 8 June, when there were no fresh cases of coronavirus recorded.

Revelations by Stats NZ mentioned that greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 8.1% throughout the lockdown phase last year, but eventually increased by 9.1% in the 3 months following the period. This demonstrated the influence the lockdown had on environment. On the contrary, in the next 3 months, the emissions were back to the elevated level.

NZ Prime Minister, Declared Climate Change Emergency

In December 2020, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, declared a climate change emergency and vowed for a carbon-neutral government by 2025. She stated the Government should purchase only electric or hybrid vehicles, its convoy should decrease by 20%, and a systematic reduction must also be done to all 200 coal-fired boilers used in the public service’s building premises.

The Government in November 2019 endorsed the Paris Agreement and validated the Zero Carbon Act 2019, as per which New Zealand is devoted toward slashing emissions. With this, New Zealand is now one of those few nations to have a zero-emissions goal enshrined in the law.

The Road Ahead

Upton urged his countrymen that to give a better and sustainable environment for next generation, it had become inevitable to redefine and reshape the tourism industry for a cleaner and greener tomorrow, to protect the country’s natural charm, and live up to NZ Tourism’s marketing campaign ‘100% Pure New Zealand’, which was introduced in 1999.

The campaign sends out a clear and simple idea about Kiwi land covering the vision of its target market.  In a nutshell, 100% Pure New Zealand narrates the story of the nation’s distinctive blend of individuals, terrains, and interests, which separates it from the other regions of the world, giving the tourists exclusive NZ experience.