After the release today of a report stating that tourism is ruining what makes New Zealand special, national and local media have covered the issue widely.
- The New Zealand Herald says that tourism is “eroding NZ’s world famous environment” and this risks “killing the goose that laid the golden egg”.
- Newstalk ZB provided an in-depth commentary on the report.
- 1 News reported Simon Upton as saying: “The evolution of this tension between economic opportunities and environmental and cultural harm will largely determine the industry’s social licence to operate in the future.”
- Radio New Zealand focussed on the fact that there is no plan to tackle environmental degradation.
- Newshub covered the issue in detail, noting that: In the year ending March 2019, 98 percent of international visitors arrived in New Zealand by plane.
- The Spinoff covered the issue, labelling it “frightening”
At the time of writing this update, the report has only been out for 12 hours. Already, international media have started covering the issue:
- On MSN News, they are reporting that the Environment Commissioner says the government and the tourism industry have no clear plan for dealing with the likely environmental degradation from ballooning tourist numbers in the coming decades.
- The Guardian has given the report prominence, noting that the “country could face Venice-style overcrowding and lose tranquility that attracts visitors in the first place.”
- Channel News Asia’s headline is: Tourists trampling on New Zealand’s tranquility.
- Arab News notes that the “The South Pacific nation has long marketed itself as “100 percent Pure” and “clean and green,” but has seen a huge growth in visitors in recent years.”