Foreword
Tourism is a cornerstone of Aotearoa New Zealand’s economy and society.
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Pre-COVID-19, tourism accounted for 19.9% of exports and directly contributed 5.4% of GDP and 7.9% of employment; recovery to these levels is underway[1].
This means that for our country, it is important we get tourism right.
Data is both the lifeblood and the compass of a well- functioning tourism system. Whether it be at the operator level, or within central or local government, the sector requires access to reliable, timely, consistent and high-quality information so that everyone - ranging from people working in the sector to our communities and our manuhiri - can make better informed decisions.
The Tourism Data Leadership Group (TDLG) recognises that the true value of quality data goes beyond mere collection to broader utilisation; a spectrum that ranges from improving sustainability, resilience, and non-economic values, through to encouraging the right investments and stimulating growth.
The TDLG have been tasked with making recommendations to the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) for the immediate future of the tourism data system. In doing so, the TDLG has been considered in its approach, seeking to preserve the system’s pre-COVID-19 foundations, while also thinking about how the International Visitor and Conservation Levy (IVL) allocation could be optimally used to generate greater value than the investment itself. The TDLG is both ambitious (in the quantum of work), and purposeful (focusing in the short-term on the provision of solid foundations), with a firm awareness that intervention is needed now more than ever. As for the current challenges in the system, the TDLG sees these as opportunities to do things better.
The purpose of this plan and roadmap is not to rehash the perennial tourism data issues (which are well captured elsewhere e.g., the Data Domain Plan). Instead, within the current context, this document’s purpose is to outline a vision for the future and to provide clear direction for a way forward for the next two years (with consideration to longer term outcomes).
The TDLG is excited by the potential outcomes that could be generated but is fully aware that there is lingering instability and uncertainty. In short, there remains a lot to navigate and negotiate. The TDLG and MBIE (responsible for implementation), have a lot of work do in a challenging environment where there is great competition for already constrained resources.
It is clear that our tourism sector, once a beacon of strength, is poised for resurgence post-COVID, and with it, the opportunity to redefine excellence. It is imperative that we use data more effectively and efficiently and that we work together more collaboratively. Together we can shape a future where Aotearoa New Zealand’s tourism sector shines brighter than ever before.
Steve Armitage
Tourism Data Leadership Group Co-chair