Community Development

The primary aims of this project are to:

1. identify common characteristics of sustainable tourism in peripheral areas;
2. determine the present state of affairs of tourism at the case study sites in New Zealand (NZ Aquaculture and Seafood Trail) and Iceland (Strategic Tourism Plan for Northeast Iceland);
3. identify and evaluate innovation strategies using criteria focused on process, environmental, and socioeconomic outcomes;
4. use the data to inform strategic tourism planning and management decisions of local stakeholder groups.

As an outlet for the community tools developed during the course of our research, a new website www.trace.org.nz will be a resource for communities, public and private sector to access a range of tools for research.

T.r.a.c.e. stands for Tourism Research and Community Empowerment: this is a toolkit resource for individuals, communities, small businesses, and local governments to assist in the planning and management of tourism related activities.

An online survey of communities and the cruise industry was completed for the Cruise Association of Newfoundland and Canada. The research team which included Intervale Consultants and NZTRI, was looking at assisting communities derive the most economic benefits they can from visiting cruise ships.

NZTRI, in partnership with Intervale Consultants, were commissioned in April 2004 to provide an audit of the effectiveness and performance of the Atlantic Outdoor Adventure Partnership Web - www.atlanticoutdoors.com. The Website is designed to promote soft adventure experiences and accommodation. The focus of the audit is on how well the website aligns with and satisfies both potential client and business member requirements.

This study focuses on resident use of Local and Premier Parks in Auckland City, and also examines what Auckland City residents feel about urban parks and how they influence quality of life.