TOURISM IN WESTLAND MARCH 2012
Tourism in Westland The Westland District Council co-ordinated three tourism industry related meetings during February 2012. These were held in Haast, Fox Glacier and Hokitika. The purpose of the meetings was to discuss how best to manage tourism in Westland and how the tourism sector can assist in achieving the Council s adopted Vision. Westland will, by 2030, be a world class tourist destination and have industries and businesses leading through innovation and service This will be achieved by: Involving the community and stakeholders Having inspirational leadership Having expanded development opportunities Having top-class infrastructure for all communities Living the 100% Pure NZ brand A range of questions were asked of each group including: What are the opportunities for Westland and how do we achieve these? What are the challenges for Westland and how to we resolve these? What is Council s role in tourism? Do you want Council's tourism funding to continue to go to Tourism West Coast? Participants were also asked to prioritize the marketing activities for Tourism West Coast. When reading through the following report, please note the following numbers attended and participated in the meetings from each area: Haast (5), Fox Glacier (16), Hokitika (25). The following information has been collated from the meetings: 2
What are the opportunities for Westland? As can be seen from the above graph, Haast attendees saw promotion and marketing as the strongest opportunity for Haast. Comments in regards to promotion included: Promote the history and tell our unique stories; package and promote the destination "West Coast"; promote our unique isolation and wilderness and adapt the product of the Haast Hollyford Road - Access to Milford and World Heritage Park. In relation to comments regarding marketing the following were made: Look at who has the money to visit and define the target market; target the domestic market and develop product for the Asian Markets. Developing and enhancing recreational nature activities including developing a day walk and a bush walk (Haast township to beach), developing a cycle track, and enhancing our fishing and hunting was also discussed as an opportunity. Opportunities for keeping our product knowledge current and up to date at i-sites as well as enhancing knowledge of local business/staff were also discussed. 3
Marketing as well as development of tourism opportunities for Franz and Fox Glacier both received the highest rating at 14% for each activity. Comments in relation to marketing included researching new markets and learning how to cater to them as well as marketing the recognised glacier icons. In regards to the development of tourism opportunities, attendees said that Fox and Franz Glacier need to expand on the already successful model of the "glaciers etc." as well as move beyond the glaciers to encouraging sustainable tourism, developing an eco-lodge, and growth within Westland National Park, e.g. gondolas. Customer service, business management and development and product knowledge was also discussed and was the next highest rated opportunity coming in at 13%. Free broadband/ Wi-Fi/ mobile in Westland were seen as an opportunity for Westland as well as the support of superb business management and customer service. Franz and Fox Glacier also commented that there is an opportunity to attract better quality staff through an immigration programme. 4
In Hokitika, attendees saw the strongest opportunity for Westland as promotion. The encouragement of all promotional groups to work together came through as a strong theme. The need for a paid professional to promote the district was also raised and came up several times throughout this workshop. Hokitika would like to see the promotion of their history and unique stories, rain and good weather, unique isolation and wilderness and West Coast hospitality. Hokitika attendees believe that to do this Westland needs to be packaged and promoted as a destination. The development and enhancement of recreational nature activities was also raised as an important opportunity for Westland. Ideas included the development of a treetop walk, development of guided walks and activities that include knowledge of our natural history and geology by local knowledgeable experts, the development of walkways and enhancement of fishing and hunting activities. Branding, point of difference and development of the townships attracted the third highest ratings. Branding and point of difference comments included; Hokitika - 5
unique top class shopping / nice feel to CBD / accessible beach; Maori culture / pounamu; interesting people who reside in Westland - gold, fishing, whitebait, pounamu; Hokitika is distinctive because of its mix of nature, culture and history an retails; Brand the Highway; What is the point of difference? Development of townships comments included: Develop beachfront access; enhance township presentation/uniqueness; Staff village/expand local infrastructure, childcare, schooling, housing management and first entry, develop sports facilities and use the community hall on a corporate level, e.g. gym membership. Overall Result When combining all results from Haast, Fox and Franz Glacier and Hokitika, promotion attracted the most votes and therefore came out as the highest priority as an opportunity for Westland. Marketing followed behind promotion and the development and enhancement of both recreational nature activities as well as townships came in as the third highest opportunity. 6
What are the challenges for Westland and how do we resolve these? The major challenge that Haast attendees at the meeting identified was: The policing of freedom camping and parking at Jacksons and Neils Beach. Attendees at the meeting would also like to see Welcome to Haast signage and saw funding and community agreement as issues that stood in the way. Other challenges included cleaning up rubbish on the roadsides and the provision of more rubbish bins and toilets. Maintaining access to beaches was also seen as a challenge along with managing traffic driving all over the wilderness space. 7
Franz Glacier and Fox Glacier saw funding as the major challenge for Westland. Comments included attracting investment; the need for longer term security of tourism funding for marketing investment; lack of funding for promotion; pool of rates is not enough to support funding infrastructure. Franz Glacier and Fox Glacier saw perceptions as the next major challenge for Westland. Comments on this issue included perceptions of wet weather, sandflies, isolation / remoteness; and also tourists perception of value after being elsewhere. Freedom camping and parking and managing visitor expectations came out as the third highest challenge. Other challenges included there not being enough activity product for trade sales e.g. guided kayaking, walks (eco/historic), guided drives, hunting, fishing; effective marketing in the right markets, both nationally, domestically and internationally to increase visitor numbers; collaboration by finding enough people who can work together for the common cause and collective co-operation between businesses as well as total acceptance of the "Vision" by every person on the Coast as an ambassador for Westland District. Getting people to stay longer also was an identified challenge. Seasonal peaks and flows related to inexperienced/transient and lack of staff. Cost of business was brought up in regards to how expensive the cost of doing business is on the West Coast. 8
Hokitika prioritized its challenges closer together than that of Haast and Fox Glacier and Franz Joseph. Getting people to stay longer was regarded as the major issue. Comments included: Hokitika is seen as a lunch stop instead of a "hub"; The West Coast is a destination in its own right and it deserves the opportunity through activity and accommodation providers to be a longer stay. Increasing flights and expanding destinations were also mentioned here. Local infrastructure and facilities followed closely behind destination as a major challenge. This issue included the need for better toilets and more off them; further hotel accommodation to cater for bus tour companies in Hokitika; the erection of a glass wall to utilise the beach; the completion of beautification and footpath programmes and the need for better and cheaper broadband and cellphone. Promotions was also seen as a challenge and included comments such as getting promotions groups to work together; being smarter as a town and promoting the points of difference; promote value for money; positive promotion of state highway route; promoting Hokitika's value added attractions and how to promote Hokitika - need 1 message - too many products? The challenge of collaboration was brought up and having everyone prepared to work together to deliver the same message; working together to achieve; finding enough people who can work together for the common cause and collective cooperation between businesses were the main comments for this issue. 9
Perceptions, lack of funding, more informative signage, no control over assets we are promoting our businesses with when there are national priorities against local needs, marketing to the right markets, point of difference and having more knowledge of the tourism industry as to why more visitors don't choose to visit here were also tagged as challenges for the area. Overall Results Overall, the results for the West Coast in regards to challenges show that funding is the major challenge that is seen by the attendees of the meetings. Changing potential visitor s perceptions and getting people to stay longer came out as the next major challenges. Collaboration, promotion and enhancing and developing local infrastructure and facilities were also seen as the major challenges for the West Coast. 10
What should Council s role be in Tourism? 54% of attendees at the Haast meeting felt that Council s role in tourism should be to effectively provide, fund and maintain infrastructure and included comments such as maintaining the toilets and controlling rubbish on the side of the roads. 29% of Haast attendees also thought that Council should develop off-road access to attractions such as the beach and Jackson Bay Wharf. Providing signage and developing a rating model that will provide necessary funding on a long term basis for regional promotion were also mentioned. 11
Franz and Fox indicated that Council s role in tourism should to effectively provide, fund and maintain Infrastructure. Franz and Fox also thought that Council should be a long-term funding partner in tourism. Sound planning to protect Westland s natural beauty; inspirational leadership to obtain funding and regular and effective communication with the industry so Council really knows and understands what's going on in the district were also activities that Franz and Fox thought that Council should have a role in. 12
Hokitika saw funding as Council s major role in tourism. 47% of votes related to the following issues: Continue funding Tourism West Coast; continue to fund Hokitika Westland i-site; encourage tourism investment; develop a rating model that will provide necessary funding on a long term basis for regional promotion; continue to assist in supporting funding of local business groups and event marketing in our area; help to facilitate investors into the area; advocate for us to development West Coast for funding; continue to fund Enterprise Hokitika; and rate on behalf of tourism groups and dispense funds. 18% of the votes saw that Council should effectively provide, fund and maintain infrastructure and this included toilets as well. Careful decision making by Council in regards to dairying/mining and resource consents that don't impact on tourism industry were also discussed. 7% of votes thought that tourism should be run by an independent body as is done now. Some attendees wanted Council to support promotion groups in their funding applications and a few votes were cast on encouraging the Mayor to advocate for more flights into the area with AirNZ. 13
Overall Results Overall, 36% of attendees at the workshops believed Council s role in tourism relates to funding (as explained above). 28% agreed that Council should also effectively provide, fund and maintain infrastructure. 14
Do you want Council's tourism funding to continue to go to Tourism West Coast? 67% of votes at the Haast workshop indicate that Haast attendees would like to see Council s tourism funding to continue to go to Tourism West Coast. On the other hand, 93% of the votes at the Franz and Fox workshop do not want Council to continue funding Tourism West Coast. 15
In Hokitika, 89% of the votes agreed that Council should still continue to fund Tourism West Coast. Overall Results Overall, 61% of all votes throughout the three workshops agreed that Council should continue to fund Tourism West Coast. 16
Prioritization of Marketing Activities for Tourism West Coast For the purposes of this report, the ratings have been grouped into the following priorities: 1-6 = High 7-13 = Medium 14-19 = Low 20 = Tourism West Coast should not be involved 82% of respondents from Glacier and 32% from Hokitika thought that survey and strategic plan development should be of high priority. 60% of Haast respondents and 52% of Hokitika respondents thought this activity should be of medium priority and 6% of Glacier and 8% of Hokitika thought that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. As can be seen from the above graph, 64% of attendees at the Glacier workshop indicated that brand positioning and manual is of high importance. 36% of Hokitika attendees thought that it was also of high priority and 60% of Haast attendees rated that brand positioning and 17
manual should be of medium priority. 12% of Hokitika attendees and 6% of Glacier attendees thought that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in brand positioning and manual. Overall looking at the above statistics, the trend indicates that this activity is a high to medium priority for the West Coast. 60% of Haast respondents have indicated that website and digital strategy is a high priority for Tourism West Coast. 82% of Glacier attendees and 64% of Hokitika attendees also believed that this action was of high priority. 8% of respondents from Hokitika have specified that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. 75% of respondents from Glacier specified that Tourism West Coast should be involved in TRENZ (priorities 1-5). 68% of Hokitika and 80% of Haast attendees indicated that being involved in TRENZ was of high to medium priority for Tourism West Coast (priorities 1-9). 8% of Hokitika respondents felt that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in TRENZ. 18
60% of Haast respondents have indicated that Tourism West Coast should be involved in MATTA. 74% of Glacier respondents have indicated that Tourism West Coast being involved in MATTA is of medium to high priority (priorities 1-10). On the other hand, 56% of Hokitika respondents believe that being involved in MATTA was of low priority (priorities 15-19) for Tourism West Coast and 16% of Hokitika residents indicated that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity at all. Only 40% of Haast respondents thought that involvement in Australian Trade Shows is a high priority (priorities 2 & 3) for Tourism West Coast, where as 89% of Glacier and 64% of Hokitika respondents thought that it was of high to medium priority (priorities 1-10). 60% (priorities 13-16) of Haast residents thought that it was of medium to low priority to be involved in Australian Trade Shows and 8% of Hokitika and 6% of Glacier respondents thought that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in the Australian Travel Trade Shows at all. 19
100% of Haast and 52% of Hokitika respondents (priorities 15-19) indicated that Tourism West Coast s involvement in Travel Trade Shows in India was a low priority. A further 24% of Hokitika respondents thought that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in the India Travel Trade Shows at all. However 63% of Glacier respondents thought that being involved in the India Travel Trade Shows was of high to medium priority (priorities 1-10). In Haast, 60% of the attendees at the meeting indicated that attending Travel Trade Shows throughout the rest of the world was of medium priority (priorities 9-12). Glacier respondents (76%) leaned more towards this action being of high to medium priority (priorities 3-11) where as Hokitika respondents (84%) believed the priority to be of medium to low (priorities 9-19). 16% of Hokitika and 6% of Glacier respondents did not think that Tourism West Coast should be involved in Travel Trade Shows throughout the rest of the world. 20
In Hokitika, 76% of respondents (priorities 1-10) indicated that the Visitor Guide and Trade Manual is of high to medium priority and 80% of respondents from Haast thought that it should be of medium priority (priorities 8-11). 50% of Glacier respondents indicated that this activity should be of medium to low priority (priorities 11-19) and 6 % and 8% of Glacier and Hokitika respondents respectively, did not think that Tourism West Coast should be involved in this activity at all. In Haast, 100% of respondents indicated that the creation of DVD and power point presentations for use with Councils and community groups as well as use at travel shows should be of high to medium priority for Tourism West Coast. 60% of Hokitika respondents indicated that this activity should be of medium to low priority (priorities 10-19) and 12% indicated that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. 63% of respondents from Glacier believed this activity to be of medium to low priority (priorities 12-19). 21
Respondents from Haast (80%) indicated that it was of high priority (priorities 1-6) that Tourism West Coast actively work with Tourism New Zealand s International Media Programme to maximise the amount of coverage in the media of West Coast and also that they encourage more national media to the West Coast to expand domestic travel media coverage. 95% of glacier respondents and 76% of Hokitika respondents indicated that this activity was of high to medium priority (priorities 1-11). 12% of Hokitika respondents thought that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. 80% of respondents from Haast thought that holding an annual conference in Hokitika and Greymouth in August 2012 so that West Coast operators could showcase tourism product was of medium to low priority (priorities 12-18). The majority of respondents from Hokitika (72%) believed this activity to be of high to medium priority (priorities 1-10) and respondents from Glacier (69%) rated this activity to be of medium priority (priorities 7-14). 13% of 22
Glacier attendees and 12% of Hokitika attendees indicated that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. NB. Some members may not have realized that ITOC had changed the name, hence dropping the priority of the activity. 95% of respondents in Glacier and 60% of attendees in Haast and Hokitika indicated that the investigation of joint venture opportunities with key airlines, inbound tour operators, offshore wholesalers, major local businesses like Scenic Hotel, Ngai Tahu Tourism, Kiwi Rail and Tourism New Zealand was a high to medium priority for Tourism West Coast (priorities 1-10). 8% of attendees from Hokitika thought that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. 23
60% of respondents in both Haast and Hokitika and 31% of respondents in Glacier believe that domestic marketing and promotions is of high priority (priorities 1-5). 63% of respondents from Glacier thought this activity was of medium priority (priorities 6-13). 6% of Glacier respondents and 4% of Hokitika respondents thought that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. 80% of Haast attendees and 56% of Hokitika attendees indicated that event promotion and attraction is of high to medium priority (priorities 1-10). At the Glacier meeting, 70% of attendees indicated that this activity was of medium priority (priorities 10-15). 16% of Hokitika attendees believe that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. 24
80% of respondents in Haast and 52% of respondents in Hokitika believe that meeting and incentive marketing is of medium priority (priorities 6-14). 51% of Glacier respondents indicated that this activity is of low priority (priorities 15-19) and 16% of Hokitika and 6% of Glacier attendees at the meetings indicated that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. 60% of respondents from Haast and 60% of respondents from Hokitika indicated that local regional communications should be of high to medium priority (priorities 1-11). 57% of Glacier respondents believe this activity to be of medium importance (priorities 6-14) and 12% have indicated that this activity is of high importance. (priorities 1-5). 16% of respondents from Hokitika think that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. 25
80% of Haast respondents believe that Tourism West Coast being involved in possible names for State Highway 6 was of high to medium priority (priorities 1-6) where as only 24% of Hokitika respondents felt it was of high priority. In Hokitika 40% of respondents agreed that this activity was of low priority (priorities 15-19) and 16% indicated that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. In Glacier, 69% have indicated that this activity is of medium to low priority (priorities 11-19) and 19% of respondents believe that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. In Haast, all respondents agreed that communicating results from the Commercial Accommodation Monitor to tourism businesses each month as well as advertising these results to all households was the lowest priority for Tourism West Coast. 64% of respondents in Glacier and 72% of respondents in Hokitika see this activity as a medium to low priority (priorities 11-19). 12% of respondents from Hokitika think that Tourism West Coast should not be involved in this activity. 26