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Research is key to helping solve some of the big issues facing Queenstown, Economic Futures Manager Peter Harris told delegates attending the University of Otago’s Tourism Policy School in Queenstown.
He spoke at the two-day event’s inaugural research forum, an industry and community session to showcase vital Otago tourism and sustainability research.
It’s no secret that Queenstown faces a number of challenges from a shortage of rental accommodation for workers to roading and transport issues and Peter reiterated the need for research-informed information to help guide the destination into the future.
“Council is grappling with these kind of issues every day at the moment and there is an opportunity for more research-driven policies,” he told those attending the forum.
Remarkables Park Ltd chief operating officer Matthew Day also welcomed the opportunity to work closely with researchers.
In partnership with the Government, Remarkables Park Ltd has funded the development of the new research and innovation hub, Research and Innovation Queenstown with the aim of facilitating high-quality research and innovation.
“Queenstown will be bigger than Dunedin in 15 years and we need to ensure we have research-informed decisions being made about the future of Queenstown.”
Officially opening the research forum, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise Professor Richard Blaikie highlighted the importance of research.
“Not everything in the world is known – there is much to be learned in the world in which we live.
“We have very important questions to be asked and the role of the University is to support the development of ideas and knowledge into practical applications; as well as training the future workforce for the industry.”
A wide variety of University of Otago research was on show at the forum.
Researchers from the Departments of Economics and Tourism, Joel Hjelte, Brent Lovelock, Stu Hayes and Viktoria Kahui’s novel research, funded by the New Zealand Fish and Game Council, investigated the economic impact of fishing.
Based on the 2022/23 fishing season their research revealed Te Manahuna Mackenzie Basin Hydro Canals produced a total economic impact of $13.6 million.
Tourism and Decarbonisation 2040 was the theme of research by Department of Tourism staff Andrus Nomm, Julia Albrecht and Brent Lovelock.
The team found that in scenarios envisioning tourism and decarbonisation by 2040, the most influential driving forces are global and national leadership along with the development of comprehensive tourism strategies and policies.
Tourism disaster management was the focus of research by Postdoctoral research fellow in the Centre of Sustainability Lucia Danzi, her colleague Caroline Orchiston, former Otago Tourism Professor James Higham and Rodolfo Baggio from Bocconi University.
The researchers investigated how tourism and emergency agencies work together to mitigate risk and respond to a disaster in tourist destinations.
They found stakeholders are well connected and willing to collaborate.
Organisations tend to build and maintain relationships with others with whom they have previously interacted and developed trust.
