NZTRI Seminar Series 2013:2

The value of research in the development of significant museum projects - Toitū Otago Settlers Museum

Abstract:

Within 6 months of opening Toitū Otago Settlers Museum reached its annual visitor target of 180,000 visitors. Many of those flocking to the Museum are repeat visitors and new museum goers: has our research paid off, who are these new audiences and why are they visiting?

This presentation will give a context to the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum re-development looking at the previous Museum, the attitude of Dunedin City Council and other key stakeholders to the project and the potential for heritage tourism at large, in Dunedin.

Simon Milne has recently facilitated a workshop in the coastal resort area of Watamu, Kenya. The three day UNIDO funded gathering ran from March 25-27 and was focused on raising the ability of the internet to enhance the links between tourism and sustainable community economic development. Participants at the workshop included local community representatives, NGOs, private and public sector representatives and also UNIDO representatives.

NZTRI is working on the development of the Pacific Regional Tourism & Hospitality Human Resources Development Plan. The overall objective of the development is to strengthen regional tourism Human Resource Development (HRD) by improving its coordination, quality and access across the region. Underpinning this is the need to strengthen and enhance regional HRD policy and the skills base of those owning and managing tourism sector enterprises.

This follows on from the first externally funded project in NZTRI’s ‘Get Local’ research programme. Funded by the Albert-Eden Local Board, this work will build on the initial phase of the work.

The focus will be on implementing approaches to developing, local online content, fine tuning existing resources and engaging with stakeholder groups. The focus is on enhancing the ability of urban communities and local board areas to link into the visitor industry: creating economic opportunities and a greater ‘sense of place’.

NZTRI is currently conducting an ongoing online Visitor Survey for the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (CITC). This research is designed to provide a deeper understanding of the characteristics of visitors to the Cook Islands including their expectations and expenditure.

The second quarter was completed on 30 September 2012 and the third quarter of the visitor survey will run until the end of December 2012. 

NZTRI is working with the Orākei Local Board (Auckland Council) on a research programme that is designed to stimulate local economic activity by raising the profile of the Orākei area as a visitor destination.

This Visitor Strategy development is one that will enhance visitor yield, increase the profitability and sustainability of the tourism industry, intensify collaboration between stakeholders, and will focus on engaging stakeholders in developing destination potential.

The founding International Steering Committee is pleased to announce the launch of the International Coastal Marine Tourism Society (ICMTS).

The objectives of the ICMTS are:

Abstract: In the Trobriand Islands, well known in anthropology, local residents are keenly aware of their difference, both from other Papua New Guineans and from foreigners abroad especially the visitors who come to experience such difference for themselves.

Through ethnographic fieldwork with both tourists and Trobriand Islanders, I examine the commoditization of culture for tourism. I explore how the touristic experience is conceptualized both by resident Trobriand Islanders – how they choose to represent and enact “Trobriandness”; and by tourists – how they experience and narrate their interpretation of that enactment.

Abstract: The history of food in Singapore—its importation, preparation, consumption and social/political/national meaning—is a substantially under-historicized area of study. Singapore’s outstanding economic transformation since independence understandably dominates scholarly attention.

Simon Milne presented a keynote at 2012 eTourism NZ Conference entitled ‘The importance of community on and offline’. Simon’s presentation was a high-level overview of creating stronger links between tourism, ICT and sustainable community development. Without interactive communities there cannot be interactive travelers and Simon is particularly interested in the ability of communities to develop and present their own ‘stories’ to the visitor.