Presentation made at the Sustainable Tourism in Small Island Developing States conference, 23-24 November 2017, Seychelles. A partnership of the Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Foundation, IUCN WCPA Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group, University of Seychelles, Paris Tourism Sorbonne (IREST), and Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

1. The prospects for environmentally sustainable
tourism in New Zealand’s National Parks –
testing a concessions theory of regulation
Dr. Valentina Dinica
Associate Professor
School of Government, Victoria Business School
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

2. presents a ‘theory development project’ focused
on four regulatory dimensions
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3. INGREDIENTS FOR HYPOTHESES’ DEVELOPMENT: ‘DISCRETE VALUES’ OF 4 REGULATIORY DIMENSIONS
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Case studies in NZs
Case studies so far, in NZ:
- Tongariro NP (North I.)
- Westland NP (South I.)
- Mt. Cook NP (South I.)
- Mt Aspiring NP
(South I.)
- Fiordland National Park
(South I.)

5. Research methods
(1) Manual text analysis:
For the dimension of ‘PLAN PRESCRIPTIVENESS’ &
METHODS OF CONCESSION ALLOCATION:
• Legal instruments: the 1987 Conservation Act, the 1980 National Parks Act, the
1991 Resource Management Act, Conservation Management Strategies and
National Park Management Plans.
• policy documents published by the Department of Conservation
• Transcribed audio recordings of online radio broadcasts
For the dimensions of “CONCESSION CONTRACT DESIGN” and “MONITORING” (in
addition to the above)
a sample of 24 concession contracts
(2) 32 Interviews (face-to-face and by phone) with
DOC officials, concessionaires, recreation groups & and NGOs 5

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Main findings:
The independent variables
In all cases: low NP prescriptiveness, based on Recreation Opportunity Spectrum +
more recently demand-based Destination Management Framework
(with some ‘pockets’ of areas with moderate prescriptiveness, imposed after
pressures are already obvious or unacceptable for stakeholders)
MONITORING: not for tourism impacts; incomplete plans and inadequate
implementation on monitoring environmental resources and biodiversity

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Main findings:
Concession allocation methods and contract designs
Only reactive types of concession allocation methods are used:
• First-come first-served
• Preferential rights to apply (for limited-supply & monopoly concessions)
• Tendering the right to apply (seldom, in association with quotas)
(no screening of applicants on environmental performances)
Concession contracts:
• ‘tailor-made’ because they differ across several activity types: aircraft-based
sightseeing, guided walking, land lease for accommodation, bird watching,
cave visitation; but rather standardised within each of these groups;
• Static: no expectations for businesses to adopt innovations or enhance their
environmental performances

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Hypothesis: the following regulatory features are more likely to reinforce each other
negatively and nudge PA tourism towards unsustainability:
- low PA plan prescriptiveness,
- reactive allocation methods,
- environmentally static concession designs, combined with an
- over-reliance on monitoring the condition of environmental resources.
Indicators for the dependent variable Empirical findings
1) growth in fossil fuel emissions and air pollution
associated with concession that activities
Confirmed through proxies (number and business volume of
concessions for authorised activities + unauthorised
helicopter flights)
2) Poor or no progress in biodiversity decline Confirmed
3) Infrastructural deterioration (e.g. track and soil erosion)
with ecosystem integrity implications
Fragmented evidence on hiking tracks, bridges; too few
ranges available for monitoring
4) Declining condition of flora and/or fauna Impacts on birdlife and some marine species (penguins, seals)
5) deterioration environmental quality indicators for fresh
waters and soil within and around PAs zones with tourism
concessions
Confirmed in some hotspots, especially in (human) waste &
sewerage spill incidents
6) Contamination ( viruses, fungi, bacteria) of biodiversity
through concessionaire equipment or visitor behaviour
Dydimo issues in some areas (but recreationist and
independent visitors contributing too)

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PhD opportunities
Those interested in developing new hypotheses based on this
theoretical framework, and testing them on terrestrial or marine Protected Areas
are welcome to contact me to discuss PhD research opportunities.
Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand offers PhD scholarships and
contributions to living expenses for students from some developing countries, BUT
- The approval process is a very competitive
- Applicants needs to have a quality research proposal that aligns very well with
the research agenda of a university academic
For more information: Valentina.Dinica@vuw.ac.nz