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?
