Why research tourism in Christchurch?
The Christchurch-Banks Peninsula Case Study has been completed by Lincoln University. The research was funded by the Public Good Science Fund. This case study is the last in a series of four, which includes Kaikoura, Rotorua and Westland. The main reason for the research is to provide planning guidelines to make tourism sustainable. Christchurch attracted some 3.43 million visitors in 2002 and this figure is forecasted to reach 4.23 million by the year 2009, an overall growth rate of 23.3 percent. This rapid growth has major implications for the attractions of the area, the infrastructure and acceptance levels of the local people. If through the constant pressure of visitors, locals begin to resent the tourists and the quality of the attractions deteriorates, people will choose to go elsewhere.
The research project was led by David G. Simmons, Professor of Tourism in the Environment Society and Design Division, Lincoln University and Dr John R. Fairweather, Principal Research Sociologist, Lincoln University.
Conclusions
The TRREC (Lincoln University) Christchurch and Banks Peninsula Case Study has been the basis of this geographic study of tourism in Christchurch and Akaroa. While the TRREC research methods are not necessarily geographic, some of the techniques including surveys, impact assessment and vehicle counts are similar. The aim of this booklet has been to format the research and conclusions into a geographic framework based on the current geography syllabus and examination prescription. The focusing questions on cultural processes as set out below have been covered in each section of the resource.
- What are the elements and interactions involved in this particular process?
- Why are local spatial variations found in this process?
- How has this process affected the distribution of the phenomena in this particular environment?
- How does the process operate within each setting?
- What factors have brought about changes in this particular cultural process?
- How does the process encourage concentration or promote dispersal?
The important Geographic Ideas (patterns, processes and regions, interactions, change, culture and perceptions) have been included in the exercises either by questions of identifying the relevant Geographic Ideas or specific applications of the ideas. A range of geographic skills have been included in the exercises.
This resource can be used as a case study of a destination area in a New Zealand setting to illustrate the Tourism Process. Individual learning activities can be utilised to illustrate the focusing questions. This resource provides learning activities for class groups, individual tasks or project work. Teachers may wish to study some of the research reports that provided the basis of this resource, available from:
Tourism Recreation Research and Education Centre
PO Box 84
Lincoln University
7647
Canterbury
New Zealand
Phone: 64 3 325 3838, Ext. 8744
Fax: 64 3 325 3857
Email: Michelle Collings