Extract from the Introduction:

This report reviews the concept of regenerative and inclusive tourism with a focus on community engagement. The work provides an evidence base to inform the social sustainability aspect of Auckland’s Sustainable Destination Action Plan (SDAP) by providing insights into how Aucklanders feel about tourism development and how the visitor sector can better serve Auckland’s communities.

The report:

1. Reviews existing studies to inform the development of social sustainability actions for tourism in Auckland. This includes the identification of local areas/destinations that represent tourism ‘pressure points’ (pre COVID), and any gaps in our understandings of what communities would like to see from tourism.

2. Identifies opportunities for product development and actions across the visitor economy that are inclusive of community and embrace the core themes of regenerative efforts to achieve more sustainable forms of tourism.

The report emphasises the importance of community engagement within the social sustainability section of the SDAP. A desk-based literature and best practice review focuses on community dimensions of regenerative approaches to sustainable tourism development. An emphasis is placed on literature that has emerged since the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The focus of the best practice review is on understanding cutting edge approaches to regenerative urban tourism with a focus on community engagement.

Auckland focused research on community attitudes towards tourism is then presented. This work includes regional insights from the Mood of the Nation reports, the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI) Get Local research programme in Auckland, and community research from Waiheke (see Appendix 1). The report then highlights some areas in Auckland where tourism hotspots (i.e. overcrowding or points of tension), have emerged.

The report concludes with a set of recommendations for social sustainability actions that can assist in moving closer to achieving sustainable tourism in the Auckland region. ...

Auckland Unlimited, March 2021