Practical and achievable ways to reduce a tourist’s EF:

Given the findings of this research the following recommendations seem appropriate for the New Zealand Tourism 2015 strategy outcomes to ultimately maintain the sustainability of tourism in New Zealand. Refer to Table 50 below.

Table 50: Policy, management and operational recommendations

Categories Current Status & Findings Recommended Solutions to reduce EF Food Largest contribution to the

international tourist’s overall EF. Restaurants and cafes can contribute to reduce impact by buying produce from local markets and businesses.

97% of tourists eat out during trip. Meat consumption contributes significantly to the Food EF.

Choosing energy-efficient cooking & refrigeration appliances using the Energy Star ratings in both accommodation and restaurants and cafes.

Requires cropland, pasture, sea space and fossil energy for the production and harvest of food products.

Recycling of food containers and bottles encouraged in both accommodation places where cooking facilities are provided and restaurants and cafes.

Food wastes sent to a pig for consumption, or composted.

Encourage tourists to buy food from local businesses and markets.

Accommodation Coach tours are high users of

Hotel accommodation.

Average time spent in shower is 9.9 minutes.

Coach tours to use more energy-efficient or 'eco-friendly' accommodation.

Increase access to recycling bins. Use solar power for water heating. Laundry use averages 1.7 times

per week. Use more energy efficient appliances

using the Energy Star ratings. Hotels use just under four times

the amount of energy (MJ) required by the average New Zealand household.

Hotels & Motels can encourage visitors to continue to use the same towels and sheets at least more than once to reduce laundry. Improve insulation of buildings.

Regular maintenance checks to reduce amount of resources wasted such as power or water from leaks.

Contribute to conservation projects which can involve the visitors too.

Transport High producer of fossil fuels, and

consumer of energy land. Implement more energy efficient travelling schemes such as cycling tours around the South Island.

Average travel time for domestic

air is one hour. Increase the energy-efficiency of all

transport modes. Private or rented car is the most

common transport mode. Increase the use of buses and more

energy-efficient transport modes through cheaper prices, and package deals for tourists.

Categories Current Status & Findings Recommended Solutions to reduce EF

The mini-bus/van transport mode has the largest footprint out of all transport modes due to long distances travelled, and a popular mode of transport.

Transport can play a key role in reducing the CO2 emissions thereby helping to fight

the battle against climate change, particularly through domestic air.

Domestic air is particularly detrimental to the global atmosphere, since fossil fuels are emitted so high in the atmosphere.

Market conceivable incentives for tourists to travel shorter distances. This could be through marketing New Zealand regions rather than the country as whole, incentives to stay in areas longer.

The size of the transport EF is largely determined by length of stay. Tourists staying for a ‘short stay' tend to travel longer distances per day than ‘long stay’ tourists.

Goods Contributes to Fossil energy land,

high user of forestry, cropland, pasture and built-up land.

Uses the most amount of land types due to the wide variety of products that comprises goods.

Increase the number of products sold at New Zealand souvenir stores that are made in New Zealand. This reduces the amount of travel miles and ensures the security of local businesses.

Most popular product purchased by tourists are cotton products which include t-shirts and jeans, most of which are made in other countries.

Length of stay influences the number of products purchased and used by tourists, since the longer a tourist stays in the country the more goods are required, particularly hygiene and cosmetic products.

An essential component of a tourist’s trip and plays a vital role in the economic contribution from tourism to New Zealand’s economy. Therefore important to keep up the supply to show the international markets the rich culture of New Zealand. New Zealand made products are mostly using natural and/or native resources.

Recycle packaging waste where possible.

Attractions/Activities & Services

21% of tourists participated in

‘High energy per tourist’ activities. Visitor impacts to particularly sensitive natural areas be minimised. Highest consumer of energy land

out of all the EF categories. Important to identify the carry capacity for visitor numbers at sites with sensitive environments. This helps to mitigate and control the impacts visitors have on these areas.

Visitor numbers to sensitive natural environments can cause the appeal of the area to diminish, and have detrimental effects on the environment.

Encourage the use of ‘medium’ to ‘low’ energy use activities.

Price of ‘High’ energy activities which include Heliskiing, scenic flights, sky diving to be associated with energy intensity (MJ).

Categories Current Status & Findings Recommended Solutions to reduce EF Waste The 100% Pure brand makes

managing waste and recycling a critical issue for the tourism industry.

Unclear on who should take full responsibility for the wastes produced by visitors.

Little information about the costs and detailed data on waste associated with tourists.

Increasing the percentages of recycling, decreases EF for waste.

Accommodation and businesses to provide easy access to recycling bins and facilities for the appropriate discarding or waste.

Organic waste can be composted.

Potential for future research into waste produced by tourists, and how to manage it accordingly.