Academics receive grant to consider future tourism
victoria-university-of-wellington
Mon Aug 17 2009 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Academics receive grant to consider future tourism
Monday, 17 August 2009, 11:01 am
Press Release: Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria academics receive grant to consider future tourism
A future tourism experience could involve visiting New Zealand national parks via hologram, or experiencing local food or wine using molecules from a memory bank.
Dr Ian Yeoman, Dr John Moriarty and Professor Douglas Pearce of Victoria University’s Management School will receive $791,600 over the next three years from the Foundation of Research, Science and Technology (FRST) and the Ministry of Tourism to construct a series of scenarios about future tourism in New Zealand, which could potentially save the tourism industry at least $60 billion over the next 50 years.
According to Dr Yeoman, in a world of constant change, the challenge for the tourism industry is how to create new experiences when much of the product cannot change.
The team’s project Future Maker or Future Taker: Scenarios for Tourism will examine how our cultural, social, landscape and economic resources interact with future visitor demands.
“Looking into the future, New Zealand’s tourism industry faces many challenges and uncertainties, from climate change and the rapid pace of technological change, to shifting social values,” says Dr Yeoman.
Although tourism currently contributes over 18 percent of New Zealand’s exports, Dr Yeoman says this success is not without risk.
“100% Pure New Zealand is the most successful tourism brand in the world, but that doesn’t guarantee future success. For instance, what if the price of oil was US$400 a barrel or fiscal deficit meant the closure of New Zealand’s national parks?
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“Recent events demonstrate that visitor demand can change faster than our responses. Scenario Planning is a methodology that can potentially reduce the risks associated with future visitor expenditures by at least 10 percent, which would mean a possible saving of at least $60 billion over the next 50 years.”
The team will consider future scenarios in depth, and share information with key tourism stakeholders.
“Having a clear understanding of the drivers and aspirations of future visitors could be used to advantage by public or private policymakers and investors,” says Dr Yeoman.
The research team has strong academic, industry and project management skills that are both overlapping and complementary. Dr Yeoman has an international tourism reputation as a scenario planner, publisher and researcher; Dr Moriarty has detailed knowledge of the New Zealand tourism industry and is a specialist in tourism analysis and performance; and Professor Pearce is an internationally respected academic with a history of FRST tourism research success.
ENDS
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