THE REGENERATION OF RURAL AND REGIONAL TOWNS IN THE SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND THE IMPORTANT AND GROWING ROLE OF AGRITOURISM Harvey C Perkins, University of Auckland and People and Places Ltd, New Zealand Mike Mackay, Lincoln University, New Zealand Nick Taylor, Lincoln University and Nick Taylor and Associates, New Zealand
Locating New Zealand New Zealand 2
Tourism in New Zealand New Zealand covers an area much the same as Italy, but has fewer than 5 million residents Collectively, the primary industries dominate the economy unsubsidised agriculture c.55,000 farms average size 252 hectares/623 acres 44% sheep&beef; 21% dairy; 15% horticulture & orchards; 5% crops; 6% mixed lifestock But tourism is the largest export sector and growing rapidly the domestic tourism sector is very important Tourism relies greatly on the natural and rural environment (including small towns) 3
Agritourism in New Zealand A 20 th century feature of NZ tourism 1980s saw a flowering of agritourism - radical neoliberal restructuring and farm subsidy removal = Agritourism for economic survival Today, a farm diversification tactic developed and managed by family farm entrepreneurs, often farm women not multi-shareholder corporate entities Services domestic and international tourists Over 25% of international tourists visited a farm or orchard in 2015 A source of debate within the rural community 4
Types of Agritourism in New Zealand Types of agritourism in New Zealand: Accommodation (farm stays, B&B, luxury lodges, glamping and Airbnb) Farm visits and tours (horse trekking, walking, 4WD) Seeing animals & participating in farm work Hunting, fishing and other recreation activities on and off farms, incl. extreme sports Tracks & trails joining farm properties Wildlife viewing Food & wine experiences (including events) Visiting heritage buildings 5
Theorising Agritourism in New Zealand Agritourism interpreted as an assemblage in the global multifunctional countryside Examples of our recent NZ research: I. Multiple job-holding (Robinson, Perkins and Taylor, Sociologia Ruralis, 2008) II. Amenity migration, wine and tourism (Perkins, Mackay and Espiner, Rural Studies, 2015) III. Farm entrepreneurial experimentation on New Zealand farms (gender, family and succession planning) (Mackay, Nelson and Perkins, Geographical Research, 2018) IV. Tourism diversification in rural areas and the need for strategic planning (Perkins and Rosin, The New Biological Economy, Auckland University Press, 2018). 6
Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities: New Zealand National Science Challenge In NZ, tourism-led regeneration a key local policy issue Our current research emphasises rural small town regeneration initiatives in a neoliberal setting Linked significantly to agritourism developments in the rural hinterland of these towns activities, accommodation, trails and allied property development Based mainly on qualitative social research methods but supported by secondary data analysis 7
An example of agritourism in our case study region: Glenmac Farmstay A Typical New Zealand High Country Farm Owners of Glenmac Farmstay emphasise: o Farm size: 1583 hectares: merino sheep & cattle o Links to local towns Oamaru & Kurow o Activities offered: horse trekking, 4WD farm tours, farm activities, walking, fishing, cycling (A 2 O), visits to local places of interest o Accommodation & food options: B&B, the shearer s quarters, campervan stopovers 8
Conclusion Agriculture and agritourism are very well developed in NZ Agritourism is primarily a product of family farmer entrepreneurialism and is significantly gendered Taking an assemblage and global multifunctional countryside theoretical approach encourages the researcher to look well beyond the farm gate in the study of agritourism This in part emphasises the important linkages between agritourism enterprises, small rural town regeneration, private and public investment strategies, and their contribution to tourism and regional development and planning. 9
Emeritus Professor Harvey C Perkins, MA PhD People and Places Ltd/University of Auckland Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand T +64 21 822 126 h.perkins@auckland.ac.nz New Zealand 10
Regional Development 11