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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s recent trip to China and his government’s renewed focus on “turbocharging” New Zealand’s tourism industry has made headlines, not least because of the Tourism Minister’s bold promise to “welcome anyone, from anywhere, anytime.”
But as tourism academics Regina Scheyvens, James Higham, and Susanne Becken rightly argue in a recent piece for The Conversation, this open-door enthusiasm is not a policy, it’s a marketing slogan. And worse, it risks derailing years of hard-won progress towards more sustainable and equitable tourism management in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“The China visit built on the government’s Tourism Growth Roadmap which aims to attract 3.89 million visitors by 2026, and 4.78 million by 2030-34.” The Conversation
As someone who works closely with communities and businesses striving for resilience and sustainability, I strongly agree: now is not the time to throw strategy out the window in favour of a short-term tourism sugar rush.
What’s the Problem?
The Government has pledged $13.5 million to boost international tourism demand, aiming to double the sector’s export value by 2034. While that might sound impressive, it raises serious concerns.
For one, this campaign is being funded in part by the International Visitor Levy (IVL), a fee international tourists pay, originally intended to protect natural spaces and fund local infrastructure. Redirecting that money to advertising abroad is not just tone-deaf; it’s a complete departure from the levy’s purpose.
Even more concerning, this pivot to growth-first thinking ignores the comprehensive and community-driven Destination Management Plans developed across the country since 2021. These plans, some supported by Māori leadership and grassroots initiatives, were built to ensure tourism doesn’t come at the cost of local wellbeing or environmental degradation.
By sidelining these strategies, we risk repeating the overtourism mistakes of the past.
Why Management Matters More Than Marketing
Pre-COVID New Zealand saw booming international arrivals, but also serious cracks in the system: overcrowded hotspots, polluted natural areas, underpaid tourism workers, and communities feeling more invaded than supported.
Despite all this, the Government now aims to bring back, and even surpass — those arrival numbers. The goal? Nearly 4.8 million international visitors per year by 2034. But who will house the workers? Who will repair the roads? Who will protect the places tourists come to see?
We are already seeing the pressure:
- Businesses in popular destinations like Tekapo are struggling to stay open due to staff shortages and a lack of affordable housing.
- Tertiary enrolments in tourism and hospitality are in freefall, down more than 60% in the last decade.
- Infrastructure in places from Queenstown to Northland is being stretched to breaking point during peak season.
Let’s not pretend this is sustainable.
Social License Is Slipping — Fast
Across southern Europe, residents have begun protesting overtourism. In cities like Venice and Barcelona, tourism is no longer welcome, because it no longer works for locals.
Here in New Zealand, we could be heading in the same direction. In Queenstown, the ratio of visitor nights to resident nights has climbed to 47 to 1. That’s not a balance, that’s an extraction model.
Tourism needs public support to survive. And that support will evaporate if communities continue to feel unheard, overwhelmed, and pushed aside.
A Different Vision for Tourism
True value in tourism is not just financial. It’s environmental, social, and cultural.
We need a sector that respects tangata whenua and supports local aspirations. A sector that doesn’t just “market” destinations, but manages them wisely, for the long-term benefit of both people and planet.
That’s what the Tourism Futures Taskforce and the Tourism Adaptation Roadmap were all about. It’s time the Government
returned to those principles and reinvested in the strategies that aim for genuine, lasting value, not just GDP.
Marketing may attract tourists, but only management and regeneration will ensure tourism delivers enduring benefits for people, planet, and place.
Let’s move from a growth-at-all-costs mentality to one that prioritises balance, sustainability, and resilience. Tourism should be a taonga, not a ticking time bomb.
Regenerative Tourism: A Smarter Way Forward
What’s needed is not just better tourism management—but a paradigm shift in how we define success. Regenerative tourism offers a powerful alternative.
Unlike sustainable tourism, which aims to minimise harm, regenerative tourism actively seeks to leave places better than they were before. It is rooted in principles of:
- Community empowerment – ensuring that local people, especially mana whenua, have a genuine voice in decision-making.
- Environmental restoration – aligning visitor activity with conservation, reforestation, and biodiversity goals.
- Cultural integrity – fostering authentic, respectful interactions that celebrate and support Māori heritage and identity.
- Inclusive value creation – measuring success not just in visitor numbers or export dollars, but in shared prosperity, resilience, and wellbeing.
Imagine a model where every tourist contributes directly to native forest regeneration, supports locally owned businesses, and leaves with a deeper understanding of the people and place they visited. That’s the kind of tourism that builds resilience, not dependence.
New Zealand already has the cultural depth, environmental assets, and policy frameworks to lead the world in regenerative tourism. What’s missing is the political will to commit to it fully.
Final Thoughts
The conversation must shift from how many tourists we can attract to how we want tourism to serve Aotearoa. If we value our communities, our ecosystems, and our future, we must stop chasing growth for growth’s sake.
Let’s redefine tourism—not as an extractive industry, but as a regenerative force for good.
It’s time for bold, values-led leadership. And it’s time to put tourism management and regeneration at the top of the national agenda.