Editorial: Tourism needs to move beyond a guesting game

The infamous tourists talk to Police and Immigration officers in Hamilton. Photo / Belinda Feek

The deplorable shenanigans from a group of visitors at Takapuna Beach and around various hospitality venues this week brings the unruly side of tourism once more into public view.

Just as so-called freedom campers have blighted some of our more scenic spots, ungrateful guests can spoil any situation. It's now painfully apparent the usually benign beachfront reserves of the North Shore are as likely to be descended upon by trashing tourists as the far reaches of our national parks.

No, these folk are not freedom campers but their mode of travel is only minor degrees of separation from it. From the accounts of rightly aghast bystanders, it appears the group was intent on touring on the least expense possible, and with complete disregard for the host environs.

To be sure, these visitors are exceptions. Let's also be clear, New Zealanders abroad have certainly blotted their copybooks and, sadly, continue to do so. But tourism is our biggest export industry, contributing 21 per cent of foreign exchange earnings. We have every right - some might say an obligation - to closely monitor and adjust our priorities and performance. Statistics NZ calculates, for the year ended March 2018, there were 216,000 people directly and another 149,000 indirectly employed in tourism here - almost 1 in 7 jobs.

However, the rise in the numbers of freedom campers and seemingly increasing ratio of backpackers and budget travellers should beg the question: Are we as a nation selling ourselves short in the scramble for sheer numbers of tourists?

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment estimated the number of freedom campers has grown from around 10,000 visitors in the early 2000s, to nearly 60,000 in recent years.

Rubbish strewn on the reserve at Takapuna Beach led bystanders to confront the visitors from Ireland about their behaviour. Photo / Supplied

While freedom campers only make up around 2 per cent of the total number of visitors to New Zealand, their distinctive vehicles and moth-like migration to high-profile tourist sites leave a disproportionately high impression.

This impression can vastly outweigh the higher numbers of much more discreet travellers who transit by bus, rail and plane around Aotearoa, staying in resorts and boutique hotels.

With international media now carrying the exploits of the visiting louts, their impact on our reputation as a summer holiday getaway must surely be material, albeit hopefully not lasting.

Our international tourism expenditure is $16.2 billion - $44 million per day. Is it not a good time to be asking ourselves whether we can maintain such a share, or even grow it, while also emphasising ourselves as a premium destination?

Perhaps Māori have the best word for our ideal position in the global tourism market, manakitanga - hospitality, kindness, generosity, support. The principles cut both ways.

Cracking down on unruly elements; weighting taxpayer support to quality tourism rather than budget endeavours; and promoting ourselves as the best of the best can only lead to better experiences for our tourists. And surely, for ourselves.