ADVOCATE COLUMN 2nd WEEK MAY 2012

In April I was lucky enough to attend an event marking the Kauri Museum at Matakohe’s 50th year. This was the first time in a while that I have been to the museum and was once again struck by how much progress an organistaion and community can make in a relatively short period of time when it is driven by passionate management and volunteers and has competent governance. This establishment has a strong and sustainable relationship with its community. Over the years it has become a “must do” for many visitors to Northland. If our people are one of those things that gives us a real point of difference then places such as this are critical in telling our story. The event also included a short presentation by the Tourism Development Group on tourism in Northland. They outlined the role tourism plays in Northland’s economy and the challenges facing this sector in order to grow the industry and increase the value of the product delivered. It highlighted that a recent Roy Morgan Research survey found that Northland is New Zealand’s most preferred domestic tourist destination and is consistently rated highly by various international travel organisation surveys. The speaker Jeroen Jongejans identified three low-cost actions that central government help with that would be of benefit to Northland as a destination. The first was the designating Waipoua Forest as Kauri National Park and giving recognition to this natural and cultural treasure. Many overseas travellers consider this as the highlight of their visit to New Zealand and the role Kauri has played in the nation’s economy and cultural diversity should not be underestimated. Secondly there are a number of cultural and natural locations within Northland identified as potential World Heritage sites. The formal designation of one or several of these locations would further strengthen Northland’s attractiveness to both domestic and international tourists. Finally the development of a Marine Recreational Park along a small portion of Northland’s east coast would send a strong message to world the we are passionate about our environment while at the same time allow us to add real value to a natural resource to the benefit of local businesses. Tourism is not the only answer to changing our economy but it is certainly part of the solution. Where opportunities to improve our reputation and attractiveness to others exists, and where it can be done with only minimal investment it should be actively pursued.