Living Transformational Travel In New Zealand

There are times when something is so elegantly brought to life that it makes your remember that when we talk about tourism policy, plans, and ways of being that these things are real and not just conceptual. Today we want to share with you the Destination Management Plan of the Ruapehu Region of the North Island of New Zealand. We are sharing this with you because it is a shining example of what Regeneration, Transformation, and Integration look like at a community level.

Below you can view the plan summary and then we want to highlight a couple of key things that really make this plan special.

TAHIA KO PUANGA | Ruapehu Destination Management Plan 2023

Key Highlights

Reciprocity

Imagine a region where the visitor economy is environmentally centred, and like the environment it is a dynamic, balanced, connected eco‑system that creates reciprocal value for everything within it. It learns as it evolves. It seeks to selfheal. It sustains the health and wellbeing of all living things as it regenerates itself for the benefit and survival of the entire eco-system. This is true reciprocity. A value that has guided the development of this plan.

On the vey first page, the first statement made is one of reciprocity. In our explorations and education around Transformational Travel, reciprocity is a key element. For far too long tourism has been a one way street, an industry of extraction and exploitation for the benefit of the privleged few. Ruapehu is rejecting that model and placing their entire Management Plan firmly in the roots of mutual benefit. This is a not just lip-service either. Throughout the plan you will see that fundamental aspects, key measurements, and foundational tools are all based in this idea.

Our Community Wants

On page 11 you can see the painstaking care that was put into rooting this plan first in the needs of the community. When talking with Ali Chamley from Visit Ruapehu in the town of Ohakune when we were there visiting, she stressed to us that what they are seeking to do is turn the traditional model of tourism on its head. To place the community and land first and to make the baseline approach about them. From this a successful tourism product can be created, one that is beneficial for community, land, and traveler.

An Ancient Love

He manawaora taku kura taiao Manawaora is a term with deep meaning. It has origins in historical narratives of the Ruapehu area and the mountain. Manawaora in the context of this plan refers to an ancient love, a deep love, a love that is connected to unlocking a pathway to wellness. Taku kura taiao refers to the knowledge systems (kura) that come from the natural world (taiao).

A Destination Management Plan rooted in love… what a radical and amazing idea! And not just love in general, but an ancient love that binds our current world with the world of the past through tradition and compassion. This is a truly revolutionary idea, one that we must see replicated if we are ever to find a tourism industry that is thriving and regenerative.

Leadership & Authority

Establish leadership structures that align to tribal authorities, and resilient mechanisms to support sustainable delivery of the plan and its expected benefits

Another of the key points that we heard from Ali at Visit Ruapehu was the need for capacity building and for mechanisms that support a thriving future for local communities. You can see in the plan that so much is dedicated to the things that make this plan successful. Namely that those who live in the region and are interacting with the tourism industry have the pathway, capcity, and authority to execute the plan going forward.