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Research Proposal
A. PROJECT TITLE 2.4 Growing eco-tourism in a blue economy
“SHORT” TITLE Growing marine ecotourism
B. THEME / PROGRAMME Theme 2: Blue economy
C. PROJECT KEY RESEARCHERS
Role Name Institution / company Email
Project Leader Simon Milne Auckland University of Simon.milne@aut.ac.nz
Technology
Project Co-leader Chris Rosin Lincoln University Christopher.rosin@lincoln.ac.nz
Researcher Keri-Anne Wikitera Auckland University of
Technology
Researcher Carolyn Deuchar Auckland University of
Technology
Researcher Joanna Fountain Lincoln University
Researcher Helen Fitt Lincoln University
Researcher & Project Eilidh Thorburn Auckland University of
Management Technology
*Due to Covid-19 lockdowns during proposal development all discussions with partners were conducted via email followed by Zoom meetings (30 to 90 minutes).
. Co-development feedback is incorporated throughout the proposal.
The project was codeveloped with 15 people representing a mixture government (tourism policy, conservation, trade and investment), independent policy
advisors (environmental), tourism industry associations, marine ecotourism operator, iwi fisheries and aquaculture, local destination management and non-
government organisations as well as relevant NSC Sustainable Seas workstream researchers. Individuals who gratefully provided their time and inputs include:
Chris Insley – Te Arawa Fisheries Group
Jeroen Jongejans – Dive Tutukaka
Kareem Ismail – Department of Conservation
Susanne Becken - Department of Conservation
Richard Davies – Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment
Bruce Bassett – Tourism Industry Aotearoa
D. ABSTRACT
Our extensive coastline and unique marine environment places Aotearoa in an excellent position to develop marine ecotourism
that embraces regenerative principles and supports a blue economy. Covid-19 is a catalyst to develop these types of activities but
our understanding of marine ecotourism and how it connects to the blue economy is lacking. Marine ecotourism is an area often
overlooked by policy makers and the connections to the spiritual, cultural, social, environmental, and economic well-being of
communities is largely unexplored. To develop marine ecotourism activity that embraces regeneration and supports a blue
economy we need to understand where we are now, where we want to go, and how we will get there. Drawing on Mātauranga
Māori this project aims to develop marine ecotourism from low impact eco-system-based management (EBM) principles.
Innovative approaches will be adopted to identify, investigate, and achieve the desired outcomes. Key to this is forming a network
that enables cross-sectoral learning and can drive and enact change. Working in partnership with iwi, industry, government, and
community the research will: establish a baseline of marine ecotourism activity; co-create an actionable definition; construct
collaborative measures for ‘success’ and test this in North and South Island case studies. This will include wānanga with case
communities and mātauranga experts in factors that contribute to te Taiao, and participation in existing marine ecotourism
activities. An iterative process of adaption and collaboration across sectors and cultures will enable knowledge exchange and
learning to develop tools and frameworks that support the development of marine ecotourism.
E. RELEVANCE TO CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE
Developing marine ecotourism to contribute to a blue economy (BE) supports the challenge objective to utilise marine resources
within environmental and biological constraints by:
• Establishing baseline data – the size and direction of Aotearoa New Zealand’s current marine ecotourism related activities
and how they interact with other sectors of the BE
• Developing in conjunction with Māori and other groups an actionable definition of marine ecotourism, discovering what
success looks like in the Aotearoa context and developing approaches and tools to monitor performance (social,
economic, cultural, spiritual, and environmental wellbeing)
• Interrogating current models of ecotourism and restorative marine ecotourism at the international and New Zealand case
study level and understanding if and/or how these can be scaled and replicated in the Aotearoa context
• Co-designing marine ecotourism activity in case study settings and learning how to create scalable models for policy that
encourage the adoption of regenerative principles that support the BE
F. OUTPUTS This project will produce the Linked to which Theory of Change Explain briefly your plan to
following Outputs: Outputs: ensure uptake by iwi and
stakeholders:
Output 1: Baseline dataset h. Frameworks for decision making that Engagement with Māori and
o An actionable definition of consider multiple values and blue others through the process of
marine ecotourism: co- economy activities developed and gathering baseline information
developed agreed with evaluated (short interviews/survey) & co-
criteria established developing an actionable
o Dataset: where, ownership, definition.
the nature of the activity
(extractive>regenerative) Co-development partners have
and linkages to other expressed interest in the need
sectors for baseline data to understand
o Google Maps: the size & nature of the sub-
visual/interactive display of sector- this is important for the
dataset Ocean System Reform project
o Method: outlining how the (project timing coincides 2021)
dataset can be updated and and for Tourism Industry
maintained Aotearoa (TIA) /NZ Māori
o Public kōrero and Tourism who are looking for data
accompanying report to to better understand the move
disseminate findings at to regenerative tourism –
public event something the industry Tourism
Sustainability Commitment (TSC)
is aiming to achieve.
Department of Conservation
(DoC) are interested in having a
national view of marine
ecotourism activities.
Output 2: Measurement h. Frameworks for decision making that Measures for successful marine
frameworks. consider multiple values and blue ecotourism will be co-developed
• Guidance/framework economy activities developed and at case study locations drawing
o Guidelines for measures of evaluated. on Mātauranga Māori principles.
successful marine ecotourism j. Guidelines for participation in EBM
in Aotearoa/New Zealand, management decision making processes Co-designed guidelines are
evaluated, refined and packaged for integrated into wider blue
informed by Mātauranga Māori targeted iwi, stakeholders and decision economy themes via
and other international best makers. engagement with other
practice Sustainable Seas streams e.g. 2.2
o Tools to measure economic, Regenerative Economies.
ecological, and socio-
cultural impacts associated Guidelines will be co-developed
with marine ecotourism based on our learnings from iwi
o Infographic representing and other partners in Stage 1 and
links between marine during the case study research.
ecotourism and Blue
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2.4 Growing eco-tourism in a blue economy
Economy activity Guidelines will be shared at
o Educational and awareness project hui to discuss the
raising resources for the practical implications at the local
public and private sector to level.
initiate and encourage marine
ecotourism including EBM TIA is actively working to help
protocols, practices and transition businesses to
regulatory regimes. Including regenerative forms of tourism &
collaborative wānanga and this project will help link
resulting online resources operators and prospective
• Presentation to disseminate businesses to a knowledge base
findings at public events of resources.
• Report on measurement
frameworks and marine This will align with MBIE
regenerative tourism examples initiatives related to sustainable
• Journal article destination frameworks.
Output 3: Case studies. b. Traditional, local and other cultural Research (Stage 2) at case study
o Guidelines developed on how knowledge that supports EBM is locations will be in partnership
to expand and scale captured/understood/recognised with existing marine ecotourism
(local>regional / place>place) c. Effective partnership models for an operators, local iwi, community,
marine ecotourism activities EBM approach to decision-making and local government agencies and
that link to a blue economy and management developed, evaluated, and public agencies e.g. DoC, MPI
how other activities relating to demonstrated etc.
the moana could transition to e. Scales of management and place-based
regenerative principles strategies that reduce environmental Case studies will be co-designed
o Operator knowledge base risks are identified and demonstrated. with interested parties (iwi,
with resources on how to i. Guidelines developed, opportunities industry, communities) and will
create a marine identified and innovations, for explore collectively how best to
ecotourism tourism transitioning to a blue economy for transition marine ecotourism
business and how to business operating in the marine sector activity towards regenerative
leverage local supply l. Remaining knowledge gaps that tourism activities that can be
linkages increase environmental risk for decision framed by mātauranga Māori
o Kōrero at local making are identified for iwi and concepts such as kaitiakitanga
events/Marae hui to link stakeholders practices, rahui prohibition,
research findings with iwi customary fisheries management
development plans and and other culturally affirming
local Māori community approaches. The process will be
development iterative, coming together to test
organisations and refine ideas. We will engage
o Research reports to with cross theme/challenge
disseminate knowledge to projects and have had
key stakeholders discussions during proposal co-
• Video/animation & development of where locations
accompanying two-page overlap. Where we are in the
text/infographic that same case study location, we will
summarises findings and work together to make sure
highlights case study stories to engagement is coordinated &
encourage uptake and wide learnings shared.
dissemination to key
stakeholders The aim is for cross cultural and
• Referred journal article sectoral networks at case study
• Presentation of findings (with locations to form and continue to
online streaming) at the local carry forward EBM based
level North & South Island management.
locations
Case study findings and learnings
discussed, and final outputs
reviewed by participants before
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2.4 Growing eco-tourism in a blue economy
publication or presentation.
During the proposal co-
development partners gave input
into the case study locations.
TIA & DoC expressed interest in
linking operators to knowledge
bases and tools to help them
transition to regenerative
activity.
Output 4: Policy recommendations g. Governance and policy practices that Identification of policy levers and
• Targeted to support regional support EBM identified, evaluated and incentives and how these affect
marine ecotourism activity packaged for targeted decision makers the growth of marine ecotourism
linked to the blue economy. will be important – e.g. for the
• Quality assurance EDS Ocean System Reform
recommendations using project ( 2021), the
EBM approaches in marine implementation of DoC’s 2020
ecotourism development- biodiversity strategy - how to
how these can link to better link marine ecotourism
existing international & activities into future planning
existing New Zealand green and how TIA can assist marine
certification frameworks tourism operators in meeting
• Policy implications across their sustainability commitments.
It will also inform the
the spectrum ‘hard & soft’
(e.g. regulation - Resource Parliamentary Commissioner for
Management Act & the Environment’s thinking on
Department of how the marine tourism
Conservation concessions landscape operates.
frameworks, Health and Usefulness of quality assurance
Safety Act) to ‘softer’ and regulatory guidelines will be
accreditation and tested with end-users in the NZ
incentives. Other national setting and we will work closely
initiatives will be reviewed with TIA on how these
in this context including compliment or can be integrated
tourism Covid-19 recovery into TSC which will soon be a
stimulus and other pre-requisite to Tourism Industry
government led initiatives Association Membership.
such as ‘Jobs for Nature’ as
well as regional initiatives. Engagement via workshops and
We will link to project 4.2 later discussion document will be
policy & legislative change completed to ensure that policy
to ensure coordination of recommendations are practical
approach. and have an implementation
pathway.
4 Research Proposal
2.4 Growing eco-tourism in a blue economy
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