New Zealand Invests $500,000 to Promote Responsible Tourism

Tiaki encourages visitors to think about the impact of their journey and take practical steps to care for the places and communities they experience.

The New Zealand Government is putting $500,000 into expanding the Tiaki – Care for New Zealand programme, giving the tourism industry more resources to encourage visitors to respect the country's natural environment, communities and culture while travelling.

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston said the investment will broaden the reach of an initiative already supported across the tourism sector, helping responsible travel messages reach more domestic and international visitors as tourism activity continues to grow. The money will come from the International Conservation and Tourism Visitor Levy, commonly known as the IVL.

Tiaki Programme to Reach More Travellers

Tiaki encourages visitors to think about the impact of their journey and take practical steps to care for the places and communities they experience. With New Zealand's landscapes and distinctive culture playing a major role in attracting travellers from around the world, the Government wants responsible behaviour to remain part of the visitor experience as tourism numbers increase.

Upston said expanding tourism needs to go hand in hand with encouraging people to look after the places they visit, particularly communities and natural areas that can experience greater pressure when visitor numbers rise.

The additional funding will allow Tiaki messages to appear in more parts of a traveller's journey, rather than relying on visitors to find information themselves.

Funding Covers Signage, Training and Online Improvements

Part of the $500,000 investment will be used for behaviour-focused signage and improvements to the Tiaki website, giving travellers clearer information about what responsible behaviour looks like when exploring different parts of New Zealand.

Training will also form part of the expanded programme, while councils, regional tourism organisations and tourism businesses will be involved in promoting the message directly to visitors. Tourism Industry Aotearoa and Tourism New Zealand will lead the work alongside Regional Tourism New Zealand, New Zealand Māori Tourism and other industry partners.

Working across national organisations, local regions and individual tourism operators is expected to give the campaign a wider presence and make responsible travel guidance more visible at destinations where visitors need it.

Tourism Growth Linked With Protecting New Zealand

Tourism remains a major contributor to New Zealand's economy and is the country's second-largest export, supporting employment and business activity in communities ranging from major cities to smaller regional destinations.

The Government sees the Tiaki investment as one way of supporting that economic contribution without losing sight of the landscapes, culture and communities that make New Zealand an attractive destination in the first place.

Upston said the expanded programme will support continued tourism growth while encouraging travellers to take greater care of the places they experience, helping protect the qualities that keep people coming to New Zealand.