Organisation of the backpacker conference is underway and information is now available at www.backpackerconference.org.nz. Speakers include the Hon John Key, Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, George Hickton, Chief Executive, Tourism New Zealand, Tim Cossar – Chief Executive, Tourism Industry Association and more. Register your interest in the conference today by visiting the conference website here.

Dr. Mark Orams has just published "Blake: Leader. Leadership lessons from a great New Zealander", a celebration and reflection on the life and legacy of one of New Zealand's great leaders, Sir Peter Blake. Blake's style of leadership has been compared to Sir Edmund Hillary's; both were intensely focused on the task at hand and each had the necessary skills to pull together resources - people, planning, and fundraising - with enormous success and international recognition.

Michael Lück encourages South Africa to prioritise local benefits and environmental sustainability

Dr Michael Lück, currently attending the 2009 Coastal and Marine Tourism (CMT) Congress is encouraging South Africa consider sustainability when planning future coastal development and to look at giving incentives to establishments that employ and train local people. The full article is available at The Herald Online.

Mark Orams hails Addo park's link to the sea

Senior member of the CMT 2009 steering committee Mark Orams commented on the proposed Addo marine protection area that will link an elephant park to a marine reserve. Orams, in an interview with the South African newspaper, The Herald, suggested that the "project captures the essence of connectivity of all life between the land and the sea." The full article is available at The Herald Online.

Simon Milne has been interviewed by Rebecca Macfie for The Listener on the impacts of the current flu pandemic on an already struggling tourism industry in New Zealand. Simon says that because the pandemic is coming on top of an already hobbled international travel market, it could amount to a "perfect storm" for the sector. The full text of this article appears in the NZ Listener, June 27-July 3 2009.

Simon Milne discusses the upcoming infrastructure announcement to be made by Prime Minister John Key later today. View the video here. 

Announcement Update - Prime Minister John Key has announced intentions to turn Queens Wharf into an important public space. Click here to view the article at NZHerald.

From ‘maxi’ to ‘super’ to ‘mega’, recreational vessels over 30 metres in length are more prevalent than ever before. Improvements in technology and the application of materials such as carbon fibre and titanium have allowed the construction of recreational vessels of unprecedented size. The owners of these vessels continue to invest enormous sums in larger and more extravagant vessels each year. Super-yachts are now a specialist area of marine tourism that supports a significant industry which ranges from design, engineering and construction to navigation, hospitality, publishing, photography and art.

On May 26th, Associate Director John Hull facilitated a forum which brought together 35 residents living adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at L´anse aux Meadows, Northern Newfoundland on Canada´s east coast. The site is recognized as the only authenticated Norse settlement in North America. Working with the Parks Canada Agency, the forum was divided into four sessions. The overall goal of the forum was to establish a five year vision for tourism in the region. After an introductory visioning exercise, a review of global, national and regional trends in tourism provided participants with a context for determining how best to offer market ready tourism products in the region.

Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) is a nonprofit organization based on Maui, Hawai'i , USA with projects in Ecuador and Australia. Operating a fleet of seven vessels, PWF is a pioneer in the field of sustainable marine tourism. Topics to be discussed include the recruitment and training of professional, full-time naturalists as well as the creation of "Be Whale Aware", a best practices program for vessel captains based on 30 years of humpback whale field research. The presentation will also share ongoing efforts at PWF to model eco-friendly behaviours as a strategy for promoting the transition from marine tour passenger to PWF member and further participation in the organizations conservation programs.

Dr Geoff Dickson, associate director at NZTRI, has suggested in an interview in the NZ Herald that New Zealand should find ways to minimise the World Cup's divisive potential.

Dr Dickson, who is leading the development of a World Cup research advisory board at AUT, said a large number of "new" New Zealanders were from non-rugby backgrounds - in particular the growing number of immigrants from countries such as China, India and Korea - and may struggle to connect or identify with the "New Zealand equals rugby" message that will most likely become overwhelming by 2011.

Mark Orams and Michael Lück are on the International Steering Committee for the CMT conferences and both have been invited as keynote speakers for CMT09 in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa on 23-26 June.