Nelson tasman sustainable tourism

What is Sustainable Tourism?

Sustainable tourism is about the protection and enhancement of the natural environment and resources for future generations, whilst at the same time ensuring long-term economic viability for businesses, and providing socio-cultural benefits to the wider community.

Sustainable tourism involves operators:

• Making their business practices more energy, waste, and water efficient
• Involving the community in decision making
• Identifying and managing the environmental effects associated with their activities
• Identifying opportunities to market a business as sustainable
• Identifying key partnerships
• Adding quality to the 100% PURE product

Sustainable tourism also involves visitors:

• Making choices and taking actions to minimise the environmental impacts associated with their travels

what is a Sustainable Tourism Charter?

A sustainable tourism charter is a regionally defined, community-developed vision of sustainable tourism. Representatives of tourism operators, Iwi, local councils and the Department of Conservation were involved in the creation of the Nelson/Tasman Sustainable Tourism charter.

The charter encourages local tourism businesses to move towards sustainability at a pace that is within their capability by identifying practical, achievable and understandable actions to increase sustainable business practices.

Many tourism businesses in the region are small or medium sized enterprises (SME's) with restraints on time, money and access to information acting as barriers to increased environmental performance.

To overcome these barriers charter members work alongside a sustainability assessor/co-ordinator employed by Nelson Tasman Tourism. The assessor/coordinator has the capacity to build partnerships between local businesses and other regions to share ideas, knowledge, expertise and tools.

The Nelson-Tasman Sustainable Tourism Charter is guided by a steering committee comprising nine members from local tourism businesses, councils, Iwi and the Department of Conservation. The steering committee is: Allan Forsdick (Awaroa Lodge), Darryl Wilson (Abel Tasman Wilson's Experiences), Jane Dixon (The Mussel Inn), John Gilbertson (Arrow Motels/MANZ), Ropata Taylor (Wakatu Incorporation), Paul Davis (Latitude Nelson), Martin Heine (Department of Conservation), Adi James (Nelson City Council), Claire Webster (Tasman District Council).

About the Charter

The Nelson-Tasman Sustainable Tourism Charter is one of six nationwide that is funded by the Ministry of Tourism and implemented jointly with the Ministry for the Environment. The charter is administered and managed by Nelson Tasman Tourism.

Other regions to receive the 3-year funding package are:

• Enterprise Northland
• Destination Rotorua
• Tourism Bay of Plenty
• Lake Wanaka Tourism
• Venture Southland
• Destination Fiordland

links

New Zealand Eco-Wise Travel Guide - tips on how to be eco-wise and leave gentle footprints when travelling in New Zealand

Visit the Official Site of Destination New Zealand