South Waikato Regional Partnerships Programme:

Waikato Lakes Tourism Development Feasibility Study

Prepared for the South Waikato Economic Development Trust

The New Zealand Tourism Research Institute

September 2004

1 Table of Contents

Executive Summary...... 3

Introduction...... 5 The Strategy Context ...... 5 Research Approach ...... 7

1. The Case for Tourism...... 9

2. Lakes Assessment ...... 11 Situation Analysis - Arapuni Town & Area ...... 14 Current Tourism Activities around Lake Arapuni and the district ...... 14

3. Product Development...... 18 Activity Evaluation ...... 18 Core Activity Evaluation...... 20 Trails & Community Tourism products ...... 21 Other Key Themes ...... 22 Communities and Trail Users – Case Studies ...... 24 Individual Products ...... 26 Potential as coach stopover...... 28

4. A Way Forward...... 29 An Action Plan...... 29 1. Community consultation over possible tourism development options...... 30 2. Cluster development ...... 30 3. Marketing ...... 31 4. Product and Business Development ...... 31 Beyond 2005...... 32

5. References...... 33

2 Executive Summary

There are six major dams on the Waikato River (Atiamuri, Whakamaru, Waipapa, Maraetai, Arapuni and Karapiro) located within the South Waikato district. The hydro lakes created by the dams offer numerous recreational and tourism opportunities.

This study examines the potential for tourism development based around a hydro lake, and takes into account current regional and local initiatives. These include the establishment of a River Trail along the Waikato River, the first stage of which is under construction at Arapuni.

When assessing the hydro lakes, Arapuni is the lake and township offering most potential for economic benefits to accrue to the South Waikato District. It is located on a tour bus route and the swing bridge is a unique historic feature which already attracts visitors. There are numerous other factors which support Arapuni including existing or potential businesses and skills within the community.

The South Waikato District lies close to the tourism centres of Waitomo, Rotorua and Taupo. The target market for tourism around Arapuni is the Interactive Traveller, who is more likely to be a free and independent traveller who is attracted off the ‘beaten path’ into more remote regions, desire authentic experiences revolving around the unique culture and environment of this area, and use the Internet to research their destination and plan their trip.

International experience and research indicates that for communities such as Arapuni, an integrated approach to product development is required. The tourism product mix which can be used to boost economic development for the area is based around the combination of the lake, river trail and community assets. Promotion of heritage, arts and natural resources are vital components to local success.

The integration with products in the broader region is also crucial. Research indicates that trails, and communities which have embraced their role as a gateway to a trail, have reaped significant economic benefits from the visitors that utilise a trail.

There is real potential for clustered products that also mesh with external trails and products. By using a cluster approach and nurturing a variety of small scale quality products that are networked together to create a critical mass, a unique experience can be created for visitors to Arapuni.

A tentative vision for Arapuni could be said to embrace high yield, low impact tourism that creates sustainable economic benefit for the community without compromising Arapuni’s unique quality of life’.

In order to take tourism development to the next stage and meet the type of vision outlined above, the following core aims need to be taken into account:

• To create a local economic situation which attracts and supports sustainable businesses.

3 • To build linkages, clustering and networks featuring tourism-related business and experiences. • To provide information that will support tourism-related decision-making. • To ensure the service level expectations of visitors are realistic and are met or exceeded. • To provide quality visitor information and build lasting relationships with visitors. • To provide, package and market a quality, diverse, sustainable and innovative tourism experience. • To engage community and stakeholders in the planning and development of tourism.

The following are the core actions to be undertaken, and a suggested timeframe for each is based on progression of these actions without delay: • community consultation (public meetings, interviews with tourism operators, and visitor surveys); • cluster development with people involved or interested in the various tourism products; • marketing through business support and internet tools for facilitating community networking and regional marketing; • product and business development through further infrastructure support, technology developments, community networking and local champions to drive the process.

4 Introduction

The South Waikato district is rich in underdeveloped tourism resources. In particular, the hydro lakes along the Waikato River represent a visitor environment with considerable potential. There are six major dams on the Waikato River (Atiamuri, Whakamaru, Waipapa, Maraetai, Arapuni and Karapiro) located within the district. Current tourism development on these lakes is limited - largely consisting of poor quality camping facilities and water sports access areas.

Much of the land along the river/lakes is Carter Holt Harvey administered in forestry use. Mighty River Power owns land around the power stations and these core sites have easements and conservation covenants associated with them. Environment Waikato and the District Council administer the lakes/river in terms of resource consents, bylaws and related issues. Farms make up most of the remaining bordering land.

In August 2003 the South Waikato Economic Development Trust sought capability building funding from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. The funding project had the initial aim of completing a feasibility study on a major project, which will attract investment, and serve as a pilot providing a model for further development. This was to involve establishing an integrated set of outdoor tourism and commercial opportunities based on one of the six hydro lakes that is in the district. The ultimate objectives were to license the concept to an investor with proof of concept opening up similar approaches on the other dams/lakes, which border on South Waikato. The lake selected was to be the one that gives the best potential for economic return and the most experience relevant to developing the potential of the other lakes.

The scope of this tourism development feasibility study has evolved from the initial concept, with circumstances having resulted in the following terms of reference for the study to be conducted by NZTRI over July/August 2004:

To conduct a feasibility study that will underpin the development of recreation facilities and high yield outdoor tourism in the South Waikato District. The following aims are addressed: • Determine which of the 6 hydro-lakes has the most potential for developing economic benefits for the district. • Develop a set of tourism products for possible development at the selected lake. • Assess the feasibility of at least 2 major product opportunities. • Provide an action plan for further development steps.

The work was conducted by Simon Milne, Vanessa Clark, Carolyn Nodder, Tone Gjengsto, Magdalena Rungaldier, Chen-yi Ho, and Bérengère Crouzet.

The Strategy Context The report and the research which underlie it must be viewed against the backdrop of relevant regional and national policy.

5 The South Waikato Regional Partnership has overseen the production of a regional economic development strategy, which highlights the need for capability building before economic development can proceed as desired.

Key issues identified in the strategy include the need to: • Strengthen and diversify the economy to reduce dependency on forestry and farming. • Strengthen local communities through providing new economic options and investment, and enhancing skills and capabilities. • Implement some cornerstone projects successfully, to contribute strongly to improving regional capability and enhancing collaborative mechanisms and practices.

Tourism is one sector which can generate economic benefits while strengthening communities and enhancing regional capability.

A recent tourism related initiative of particular relevance is the “Waikato River Trail” – a 100km track alongside the river (due for completion 2010). The first stage of this trail is under construction at Arapuni and will be an approximately 3.7km section of the overall trail. This section of the trail is due for completion late 2004 and features heavily in this report.

The area is also in the process of developing a “Visitor Strategy” for the district.

The New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010 emphasizes the importance of the ‘Interactive Traveller’ as someone who: • Consumes a wide range of tourism products and services • Seeks out new experiences where they can engage and interact with natural, social and cultural environments • Is keen to share these experiences with others • Respects the environment, cultural and societal values of others • Is considered a leader by his/her peers • Uses technology to enhance their lives • Values authentic products/experiences.

Sustainable development is critical as otherwise the benefits of tourism will be short lived. This will require greater integration between destination management and destination marketing. Sustainability goes beyond the environmental and economic dimensions to encompass factors like community support for tourism, quality of community leadership, sound destination management and the provision of infrastructure.

Support for tourism at the community level will be critical to ensuring visitors bring increased prosperity to communities and broaden the economic base available for upgraded facilities or infrastructure. Tourism should be seen as something – like agriculture – which is woven into the fabric of our society and economy in a way that benefits us all, directly or indirectly.

6 The New Zealand Draft Digital Strategy is the Government’s vision for New Zealand to be “a world leader in using information and technology to realise economic, social and cultural goals”. Supporting visionary leaders at grassroots level to achieve results in low- income communities by ensuring that all New Zealanders have fair and reasonable access to information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and services (including broadband, wireless and other innovative technologies) is one of the key principles underpinning the Digital Strategy. Stronger investment in ICT at a community level will see those community organisations currently contributing to the economy, move from being social cases to social enterprises. Building the ICT capacity and capability of communities through the provision of education, training, technical support, and improved channels of communication is vital to economic well-being.

Initiatives involving Web-enabled interaction between enterprises, their customers, trading partners, employees and the broader community will become a business priority. There is also a need to enhance the acumen and capability of individuals and community groups to harness and use ICT, as indicated in the Strategy, as well as to create and generate usable information and technology.

Research Approach

Visit 1 – Familiarisation In June 2004, Carolyn Nodder and Gordon Titchener visited the South Waikato District and completed a familiarisation of the area with Economic Development Manager Noel Ferguson and Tourism Manager Garry Brunton. The purpose of the visit was to explore opportunities to collaborate and visit the major attractions of the area. The familiarisation began in Tirau, the northern gateway to the District and continued to Putaruru (including Te Waihou Blue Spring), Arapuni, Waipapa Dam, Maraetai Dam, Mangakino, Whakamaru, Atiamuri and Tokoroa.

While this visit was focused on tourism in the region, opportunities to integrate tourism with the broader community ICT project were also discussed.

Visit 2 – Drury On the 13th July 2004 a scoping meeting was held at Drury to discuss terms of reference for the project. Those who attended were: Liz Padman, South Waikato Economic Development Trust; Garry Brunton, Tokoroa Visitor Information Centre; Simon Milne, NZTRI; Vanessa Clark, NZTRI; and Carolyn Nodder, NZTRI.

A productive meeting refined the scope of the project given the limited timeframe available. A revised research proposal was subsequently prepared and accepted.

Visit 3 – Focus Group On the 30th July 2004 a group was convened following a tour of the area to discuss the potential for tourism development based around Arapuni. Those present included: Lance Hodgson – Out in the Styx Restaurant & Accommodation Gary Hill– Paddlin’ About Mike Mason – Local Farmer with Marae representation Brigid Rice-Lloyd– Arapuni Resident George Harrison – Carter Holt Harvey Pat Gathergood – Mighty River Power

7 Garry Brunton – Tokoroa Visitor Information Centre Noel Fergusson – South Waikato District Council Liz Padman – South Waikato Economic Development Trust Simon Milne – NZTRI Vanessa Clark - NZTRI

Key questions addressed: Current uses of the lake Types of Visitors Number of buses and visitors Current and possible attractions/drawcards of area Business ideas being investigated/developed currently Local community context Local community feelings toward tourism Local community assets Potential for town to support tourism development Other relevant information

Visit 4 – Drive through Simon Milne drove through the South Waikato District along the Kihi Kihi – Whakamaru route to gauge lake access issues and inventory product.

Background Research Arapuni is a small town in a rural setting on the Waikato River. It has few existing businesses and limited economic activity. A river trail is under development along the lake edge. Given this situation, we searched for examples of successful river trails worldwide. As a next step we sought examples of villages and towns located near trails. Our main focus was to understand how a town can capitalise on a nearby trail to enhance its local economic development. The research included gathering material on the implementation and maintenance of trails; the typical trail user; the trail activities carried out; the economic benefits of trails on a region; and the economic benefits a town situated on a trail can derive from this association.

For the research, internet search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Altavista and Lycos were used. Other information sources were previous studies, reports and statistics, mostly taken from the Tourism Research Council New Zealand.

Informal discussions were also held with in-bound operators (4) and Kiwi Experience drivers (2) giving valuable insight into the requirements to attract such tour groups to a stopover.

8 1. The Case for Tourism

Tourism in New Zealand is booming and shows every likelihood of sustaining growth for some time to come. The Waikato region is situated optimally within the important tourism nodes of Waitomo, Rotorua and Taupo (Figure 1), and can be expected to experience growth above the national average.

Figure 1: The Waikato Region

Regional tourism forecasts show that the seasonal variations in Waikato are extremely pronounced with September to March having 600% more visitors than the winter months. New tourism development in the region should be based around products which can extend visitation into the shoulder seasons.

Of relevance to tourism development is the fact that 54% of visitors to the Waikato region use either a rental or private car. This is a positive factor for development of tourism products which are off the beaten track. Coach tours are the next most popular form of transportation for international visitors with a share of 25%.

The following statistics (Table 1) refer to the 2002 year for the Waikato District (which extends from Tokoroa and Mangakino in the south to Pokeno in the north, and from the west coast to the Kaimai Ranges and Waihi in the east), the Taupo District and the Rotorua District.

9 Table 1: Visitor Statistics for Waikato, Taupo and Rotorua Districts (2002)

Total Visitors Waikato: 2.18 million (1.9m domestic and 272,000 international) Taupo: 1.49 million (1.13m domestic and 359,300 international) Rotorua: 1.77 million (1.0m domestic and 766,000 international)

Total Visitor Nights Waikato: 5.5 million (4.05m by domestic, 1.5m by international visitors) Taupo: 3.64 million (2.82 by domestic, 821,300 by international visitors) Rotorua: 3.85 million (2.18m by domestic, 1.67m by international visitors)

Total Visitor expenditure Waikato: $417 million (62.7% domestic, 37.3% international visitors) Taupo: $286.4 million (60.1% domestic, 39.9% international visitors) Rotorua: $447.3 million (35.1% domestic, 64.9% international visitors)

Main Visitor Markets Waikato: Largest domestic markets are Auckland region (31.9% of all visitor nights) & Waikato region (19.9% of domestic nights) Taupo: Largest domestic markets are Auckland region (25.9% of domestic visitor nights), & Wellington region (21.9% of domestic visitor nights) Rotorua: most international travellers come from Other Asia, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan. The largest domestic markets are Auckland region (45.8% of visitor nights), Waikato (12.4% of visitor nights). 93% of domestic nights are spent by visitors from the North Island.

Main Purpose of Travel Waikato: Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) (47% of nights), Holiday makers (31.3% of nights) Taupo: Holiday travellers (67% of nights), VFR (20.2%) Rotorua: Holiday travellers (55% of nights), VFR (27%)

Forecast Growth in Total Visitors by 2009 Waikato: + 15% to 2.51 million (+10.3% domestic and +48.5% international visitors) Taupo: + 19.6% to 1.79 million (+10.2% domestic and +49.4% international visitors) Rotorua: + 30.8% to 2.31 million (+10.1% domestic and +57.8% international visitors)

Forecast Growth in Expenditure by 2009 Waikato: + 44.3% to $601.6 million (+15.4% by domestic and +92.8% by international visitors) Taupo: + 42.7% to $408.8 million (+15.3% by domestic and +84.1% by international visitors) Rotorua: + 64.6% to $736.3 million (+15.2% by domestic and 91.3% by international visitors)

10 2. Lakes Assessment

This section assesses each of the six hydro lakes in the South Waikato District (Figure 2) in order to determine the best lake around which to focus initial tourism development activity.

Figure 2: South Waikato District Map showing the Hydro Lakes

11 The matrix below (Table 2) records each lake with reference to the listed feature and its value in contributing to tourism development that will benefit the South Waikato District. Each feature of the lake was graded 0 to 3 depending on the current situation and how that feature would contribute positively to the development of a tourism base around the lake.

Table 2: Features of Hydro Lakes

Feature/Lake Karapiro Arapuni Waipapa Maraetai Whakamaru Atiamuri Township 3 3 0 3 3 3 Township 0 3 0 0 0 3 Located in SWD Current uses 3 2 1 2 2 2 Current 3 1 0 1 1 1 commercial operations Easy access 3 3 1 2 2 3 from SH Camping 3 2 0 2 2 0 Toilets 3 3 1 3 1 0 Picnic 3 3 1 3 3 2 areas/beach front Public access to 3 3 1 2 2 1 lake History/Interest 1 3 1 1 1 1 Visitor 2 2 0 0 0 0 Information Multiple 3 3 2 3 3 3 Attractions Potential for 3 3 1 3 1 3 multi use zones Potential for 0 3 1 3 1 1 growth TOTAL 34 37 10 28 22 23 3 = high contribution, 2 = some contribution, 1 = minimal contribution, 0 = no contribution

Mangakino Township on Lake Maraetai and Whakamaru Township are within the Lake Taupo District Council boundary, and therefore are not suitable lakes to consider for promoting tourism for the economic development for the South Waikato District. Similarly Karapiro is in the Waipa District Council area.

Lake Karapiro is already heavily utilised and anecdotal evidence suggests that crowding is a growing concern. The lake holds events frequently and is well known as a venue for rowing, and popular for sailing, kayaking and other water sports.

Of the six hydro lakes within the District, Lake Arapuni shows most potential for tourism development in terms of the economic benefits that will accrue to the district: • Arapuni currently boasts a range of recreational activities with usage increasing as nearby Lake Karapiro becomes increasingly busy. • An average of 3 tour buses stop daily at Arapuni to use the toilets and view the swing bridge and many more pass through representing an important opportunity for the town.

12 • The first section of the Waikato River Trail has already commenced construction. Arapuni is a gateway to the River Trail which presents an opportunity for development of associated recreational and tourism services. • There is a kayak business currently operating on the lake. • Arapuni is ten minutes off SH1, and on one of the routes between Waitomo and Rotorua. It is close to Cambridge which can act as a service centre for facilities not currently available in Arapuni. • Arapuni is within the Hamilton-Waitomo-Rotorua ‘golden triangle’ of tourism attractions in the North Island, and therefore has a large number of visitors already in the region on which to draw from. • Free camping is allowed at Jones’ landing where toilets, a playground and boat ramp are located. Camping is not allowed on the Waipa District side of the lake. • There are various locations around the lake where visitor and boat access is available. • An established and unique attraction at Arapuni is the swing bridge over the river built in the 1920’s as part of the dam building project. • Arapuni is part of a heritage trail of the area. • The lake and surrounding area offer historical and cultural sites of interest, bush views, shallow and deeper calm water, pastoral settings and rock formations. • The main lake has an arm off it which currently delineates a speed restricted area. There is lake access from both sides of the arm although facilities and camping only on the South Waikato District side of the lake. • There is a group of local farmers considering farm tours. • There are local Maori groups offering or considering offering marae stays and tours, and interpretation of an historic archaeological site. • There is a group of local artisans active in Arapuni.

13 Situation Analysis - Arapuni Town & Area The Arapuni Dam is the oldest operating station on the Waikato River. It was completed in 1929 and its’ powerhouse is protected under the Historic places Trust. The historic suspended swing bridge over the bush-lined gorge is a popular attraction for visitors. Arapuni township is located adjacent to the dam powerhouse and swing bridge (Figure 3), while the concrete dam diverts the river from 1km away to the intake and powerhouse. The lake formed by the dam is 9.4km square, and as shown by the photo below (Figure 4) has a main body plus an arm.

Figure 3: Arapuni Township Figure 4: Arapuni Lake (Township marked with an X)

These need labelling and titling

Current Tourism Activities around Lake Arapuni and the district Use of the Lake has been increasing gradually over the years and activity is picking up year round. Users are, anecdotally, locals fishing, and hunters from the King Country, Hamilton and north using the lake to access blocks. The lake is valued for its quiet nature and its rural scenery. The characteristics of the lake physically separate water activities whereby the arm of the lake is shallow and has speed restrictions, keeping fast boats to the main river.

Table 3 presents the findings of an audit of the tourism related businesses in the surrounding region. Following the table is an elaboration of the activity as discussed during the focus group session in Arapuni, and information gathered from brochures.

14 Table 3: Tourism businesses in the surrounding area - facilities and activities

Existing activities on and Existing Providers around Arapuni and district

Abseiling Lake Whakamaru Christian Youth Camp ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) Lake Whakamaru Christian Youth Camp Forestland Adventures, Ohakuri Boating (jet) Huka Jet, Taupo Rapid Jet, Taupo Canoeing & Kayaking Paddling’ about, Arapuni Lake Whakamaru Christian Youth Camp Forest Land Adventures, Ohakuri Climbing Castle Rock Adventure, Te Awamutu Environmental Conservation, Te Waotu Heritage Trail, Arapuni Sanctuary Attractions, Maungatautari Ecological Island Cultural Heritage Mix Jim Barnett Scenic Reserve, Arapuni Education Program, Oraka Wapiti Deer Park and Restaurant (farm tours) Heritage & Nature Features, Carter Holt Harvey Forests Education Ecology, Geology, Lake Whakamaru Christian Youth Camp Matauranga Maori, Outdoor Te Wananga O Raukawa, Arapuni Pursuits, Nature Ecotourism, Pikitu Marae archaeological site, Arapuni Eco-tourism,Guided 2 x QEII Covenant Reserves Expeditions, Te Wananga O Aotearoa, Tokoroa Events Proposed Sports & Events Centre, Trust Waikato Fishing South Waikato Spring Creeks (individual) Okoroire Hot Springs Hotel Lake Whakamaru Christian Youth Camp Forestland Adventures, Ohakuri Forestry Forestland Adventures, Ohakuri Big Rock Mountain Biking, Tokoroa Gardens Oraka Wapiti Deer Park & Restaurant Golf Okoroire Hot Springs Hotel Cambridge & Tokoroa Golf Courses and Putaruru & Tirau. Hiking & Walking Castle Rock Adventure, Te Awamutu Jim Barnett Scenic Reserve, Arapuni Te Waihou Walkway Okoroire Hot Springs Hotel Lake Whakamaru Christian Youth Camp Horseback Riding Okoroire Hot Springs Hotel Lake Whakamaru Christian Youth Camp Hot pool Okoroire Hot Springs Hotel Mountain Biking Castle Rock Adventure, Te Awamutu Big Rock Mountain Bike Park, Tokoroa Swing Bridge Historic Arapuni Swing Bridge Tennis Okoroire Hot Springs Hotel Water skiing Whakamaru Water Ski Club and Piarere Water Ski Club

Heritage and Culture The Arapuni area has many sites of historical and archaeological interest. These include the Arapuni-Waotu Heritage Trail based around an historic wagon route and encompassing 6 sites and features of interest; the Pikitu marae archaeological site; and various marae stays/visits. It has been identified that there are unique stories about the area and its people which can be shared.

15 Art & Crafts Arapuni has 3 or 4 arts and crafts people who live in the village, and are currently selling in markets. They have an annual arts festival and there is potential to develop a unique ‘feature’ of crafts from Arapuni based on local work – possibly a patented geometric ceramic pattern developed by one local artisan. ƒ International trend is to enhance trails with art. ƒ Art strengthens the connection between people and trails, helps in story telling, beautifies the trail and can be a reason for visitors to visit the trail.

Canoeing & kayaking ƒ Provided by Paddlin’ About at Arapuni, Out In The Styx at Pukeatua (for their clients) and Lake Whakamaru Christian Youth Camp with possibilities to hire equipment or boat on guided day trips. ƒ Lake Arapuni is one of many lakes in the region that offers excellent kayaking experiences to both novice and experiences users (strategic plan 2003).

Climbing activities ƒ Castle Rock is a substantial facility with hundreds of climbing routes, gear, lodge and mountain biking activities operating between Te Awamutu, Otorohanga and Arapuni.

Environmental conservation, education programs, cultural and nature eco-tourism ƒ The Oraka Wapiti Deer Park is open to groups by appointment. ƒ There are a number of reserves and forests in the area including Jim Barnett Scenic Reserve close to Arapuni which is famous for its bird song. ƒ There are number of Marae in the area. ƒ The Te Wananga o Raukawa in Arapuni is developing team building courses. ƒ An archaeological site at the Pikitu Marae has been excavated by the University of Auckland. ƒ The Carter Holt Harvey administered pine forests are increasingly difficult to access largely due to health and safety requirements. ƒ Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust will soon provide opportunities to view Kiwi, Weka and other native birdlife.

Events ƒ A Sports & Events Centre is currently being proposed for the South Waikato District. ƒ Taupo hosts a number of events including a half marathon, Crater to Lake Race, Round the Lake race, and Ironman amongst others.

Fishing activities ƒ The South Waikato District provides a range of places where people can enjoy fishing as well as the lakes Arapuni, Karapiro, Little Waipa Stream and Pokaiwhenua stream (strategic plan 2003).

Forestry activities ƒ A variety of activities are provided by “Forestland Adventures” in the forest around Lake Ohakuri including survival games and skills. ƒ The Big Rock Mountain Bike Park operates in the forest out of Tokoroa. ƒ No tourism businesses focus on eco-tourism activities in the forest setting.

16

Game/Hunting ƒ Hunting is allowed by permit only and includes bird, pig and deer. ƒ Deer hunting has a limited season and it is only permitted to about 200 people. ƒ Entry to the forest is from public highways only by foot, pushbike and horseback.

Hiking and walking The River Trail will allow access to parts of the river and surrounding countryside currently difficult to access. It will be an approximately one hour 20 minute walk, much less demanding than nearby Maungatautari all day tramps. ƒ The Te Waihou Walkway is part of the developing The Te Araroa Walkway the length of New Zealand. ƒ Scenic reserves offer opportunities for walking in the bush. ƒ The 100km Waikato River trail is expected to be complete by 2010.

Mountain biking ƒ The Big Rock Mountain Bike Park operates in the forest out of Tokoroa. ƒ Castle Rock out of Te Awamutu is a mountain biking centre.

Powerboating ƒ No provider identified. ƒ Only available in the Conditional Unrestricted Speed Area (CUSA) on the river/lakes. ƒ Speed limit in places along the river. ƒ Jetskis must be registered for use within the Environment Waikato area.

Water Skiing ƒ Provided by Whakamaru water-ski club and Piarere Water Ski Club ƒ Wake boarding a relatively new sport and is practised on the lakes. ƒ Other lakes have informal water skiing. ƒ Speed restrictions apply in certain places.

There are farmers interested in setting up farm stays, farm tours and demonstrations. The lack of accommodation on offer is seen as a downfall of attracting people to Arapuni, although there is potential to convert houses for Bed and Breakfasts, possibly backpacker type accommodation at the Wananga, and at a decommissioned church.

The lack of signage to Arapuni and to Jones’ Landing and other points of interest on Lake Arapuni is a barrier to visitors which the Council is going to address. There is also potential to promote an alternative route North/South through Hora Hora, Arapuni, Mangakino and Atiamuri as it is only 25 minutes longer than SH1, but takes in 6 hydro lakes.

17 3. Product Development

Activity Evaluation The potential activities on the Trail and the gateway area were assessed using seven criteria:

1. The costs of implementation and maintenance of the activity 2. The given natural resources 3. The existence of competitors in the Arapuni area 4. The product and market trends 5. The impact on the environment 6. The ability to maximise community benefits, while minimising potential conflict 7. The existence of the activity in Arapuni – Status Quo

Every activity and assessment criterion was evaluated independently of the others by using a point system to achieve a ranking of its potential feasibility. The points ranged from a minimum of 1 to a maximum of 3 (exception Status Quo: 1-2). The higher number of total points equate to greater feasibility (table 4).

Table 4: Scoring Criteria Used in Product Evaluation Criterion 1 point 2 points 3 points 1 Costs High Medium Low 2 Natural resources No Some Good 3 Competitors Many Some No 4 Product/market Not popular Some Popular trends popularity 5 Impact on Heavy Medium Light Environment 6 Conflict potential High Moderate Small 7 Status Quo Not provided Provided

The total score for each assessed activity range from 11 for All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) activities to the Community Art which received the maximum score of 20 points (Table 5).

The ranking shows that activities are more feasible if they are community based and environmentally friendly. Recreational activities that can be practised without noise pollution and environmental damage are more likely to be acceptable. It was noticeable in the Focus Group that people were wary of the type of ‘overuse’ they described on Karapiro; continually stressing the need to involve and consult community and see community as not homogenous. We see from the matrix a range of products that really require a clustering mechanism and hook to bring people in – the hook is the link between trail and community.

18 Table 5: Activities Matrix Evaluation Criteria Natural Impact on Conflict Status Activity Costs Competitors Trends TOT Resources Environment potential Quo Community Art 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 20 Town Tour 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 20 Health Recreation 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 19 Hiking & Walking 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 19

Archeology 33 32 3 3219 Maori Culture 33 13 3 3218 Abseiling & 33 22 3 3218 Climbing Canoeing & 23 23 3 3218 Kayaking Fishing 3 3 3 2 2 3 2 18 Educational 23 32 3 3117 Programs Farm Stay 2 3 3 2 3 3 1 17 Trail 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 17 Flying Fox 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 16 Minigolf 1 3 3 2 3 3 1 16 Mountain Biking 2 3 3 3 2 2 1 16 Hunting & Shooting 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 16 Horseback Riding 1 3 2 2 2 2 1 13 Motordriven 13 32 1 1213 Water-Activities Tennis 1 3 2 1 2 3 1 13 ATV 12 23 1 1111 (All Terrain Vehicle)

While further discussion on the most feasible product development is presented later, a few activities are worth mentioning in the context of tourism development and strategy.

Archaeology with its historical, cultural and heritage associations scored highly and is an example of an experience which presents a unique opportunity to engage the visitor. It links to local heritage and has the potential to offer an authentic cultural experience through storytelling: for example, building understanding in visitors and strengthening the marae history and traditions through the process of interacting with the visitor.

Accommodation plays an important role in building sectoral links between tourism operators, and this networking can encourage visitors to remain in the area longer. The growing popularity of Farm Stays offer an opportunity to provide visitors with a real New Zealand rural experience and address the current lack of accommodation around Arapuni.

When developing a range of products to promote, care must be taken to minimise conflicting uses of the landscape. Hunting and shooting are currently undertaken in the area, and could potentially conflict with passive nature based activities. Similarly, motor-driven (e.g. ATV) activities can easily lead to conflicts with the community given

19 their visible impact on the environment in terms of noise and terrain marks. They also have higher implementation and maintenance costs all of which combine to give a low score in the matrix above.

The types of activities undertaken by international visitors to this country (Table 6) and New Zealanders (Table 7), and the natural and physical resources which currently exist around Arapuni show considerable alignment.

Table 6: Who comes, what do they want and what do they bring? Activity Number of participating International visitors Trekking/Tramping Activity 280,887 Half day bush walk 133,775 Half hour bush walk 96,866 Full day walk 70,179 Mountain Climbing 40,020 Rock or Sport Climbing 13,710 Sea Kayaking 74,322 Water Rafting 64,810 River kayaking 24,862 Fishing on a Lake 31,458 Fishing at sea 59,079 Cycling 52,255 Mountain Biking 17,722 Total visitors to New Zealand 1,977,460 (TRCNZ March 2004)

Table 7: Activities undertaken by New Zealand Adults Activity % NZ adults taking part in the last 12 months Walking 72% Gardening 60% Swimming 36% Exercising at home 31% Fishing 25% Running/jogging 10% Recreational cycling 8% Tramping 4% Mountain Biking 3% New Zealand adults (census 2001) 2,728,896

Core Activity Evaluation In light of the natural and infrastructure resources around Arapuni and its role in the river trail, we suggest a cluster focus for tourism development. Although individual products in isolation are unlikely to attract tourists, international examples show that if trails, communities and related products work closely together they are able to reap maximum rewards from increased visitor yield.

20 In this section we assess the characteristics of trails and trail users, look at the impacts of trails on communities and economic development, and give 2 best practice examples.

Starting with an internet web audit, we looked for examples of towns located near trails. The main focus was to understand how a town can capitalise on a nearby trail to enhance its local economic development. The research included gathering material on the implementation and maintenance of trails; the typical trail user; the trail activities carried out; the economic benefits of trails to a region; and the economic benefits which a town situated on a trail can derive from this association. Other information sources were previous studies, reports and statistics.

Trails & Community Tourism products Greenways, rivers and trails that attract visitors can influence and fuel communities along trails. Visitors to an area with a River Trail can be encouraged to stay longer in the region or to enhance business and pleasure visits. Links to the websites where findings have been gathered from are boxed at the end of this section (Box 1).

Trail surveys show that an equal percentage of women and men use trails although this is dependent on the main activity carried out on a trail. Men have higher participation rates the more “extreme” the activity is, and for cycling and skating trails, while female participation is generally higher for walking trails. Trail use can be a group activity with one survey showing an average of 3.12 persons per group (Bruce Valley).

The age of trail users depends on trail activity: skaters tend to be younger; walkers tend to be older than the average. Middle aged people tend to use trails more than other age groups. Surveys indicate that typical trail users have higher income and educational levels than the average population.

Trails are important factors when it comes to visitors’ attraction to a particular area and therefore have a significant influence on people’s travel plans. More than 75% of Root River trail users claimed the trail was a very important attraction when it came to visiting the general area, 17% said it was important and only 6% deemed it not important. Furthermore, 70.3% of the users of the Bruce Trail in Ontario felt that the trail was the primary reason for visiting the area. Only a small number of trail users are not affected by the existence of a trail in their travel decisions, and many appreciate the opportunity to diversify their holiday.

The main reasons given for visiting trails are mental/physical health and fitness benefits, while beautiful scenery and the possibility to enjoy nature are also important. The possibility to have fun with family and friends, to explore new places, and to study and view wildlife follow as reasons. In the ‘Nova Scotia Hiking Trail Users Survey’ about 39% visited the trail because of physical/health benefits, while 16% wanted to experience wildness and view wildlife. The costs of implementing a fitness path along the trail are low, as is the impact on the environment, and there is no conflict potential with the community. At the moment hiking and walking are very popular as 72% of New Zealand’s adults participate in any walking activity during a year (SPARC, 2003). Trail surveys also show that hiking and walking are one of the most popular trail activities, but it is becoming more important to have other benefits as well as recreational ones, e.g. a historical connection, supplied educational material, or the chance to view wildlife as part of the experience.

21 Satisfaction of trail users depends strongly on the conditions of the key facilities available. Surveys show that the maintenance of the trail, including quality of trail surface and management of vegetation of the trail corridor are most important to the trail user. The ‘Arizona Trails 2000’ survey states the three most nominated trail management needs are directly related to trail maintenance: maintain existing trails (89%), keeping area clean of litter and trash (86%), and repairing damage to trails (83%).

Furthermore, the type of support facilities offered is also important to the trail user. Availability of drinking water on the trail is the most important issue, followed by toilets, rubbish bins, trail signs and other interpretive information. Picnic facilities, shelters and parking facilities (availability and security of parking areas) also have to be provided in order to satisfy the customer. The ‘Minnesota Rail Trail Survey’ shows that 41% of the users were unsatisfied with the availability of drinking water, 21% were unsatisfied with the availability of toilets and 12 % were unsatisfied with the information available on the trail.

The issue of crowding is significant. Visitor satisfaction is clearly lower where crowding occurs. Eighty one percent of Minnesota trail users indicated they did not have problems with other trail users; conflicts occur when other users block the trail, pass without warning or bring pets with them. Providing trail guidelines and ethical rules that indicate how to behave on the trail is a basic requirement. The safety of the user, the protection of the environment and the satisfaction of all customers can only be ensured through educating visitors.

Box 1: Examples of trails and links to trail research

¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/MNtrailuse.pdf p.53 ¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/NovaSurvey.html

¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/PlanNCSurvey.html

¾ http://www.dot.state.ia.us/trails/CHPT02.HTML ¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/MNtrailuse.pdf, p.38 ¾ http://www.goforgreen.ca/resources/pdf/trailmonitor1.pdf, p.2

¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/NovaSurvey.html

¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/AZmultiusech3.pdf, p.18 ¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/AZmultiusech3.pdf, p. 17 ¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/MNtrailuse.pdf, p. 48 ¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/MNtrailuse.pdf, p.49

¾ http://www.sparc.org.nz/research/participation_adult.php ¾ http://www.trcnz.govt.nz/Surveys/International+Visitor+Survey/Data+and+An Other Key Themes

Research shows that few trails are based entirely along one particular river. Often paved cycling trails follow rivers, or other land-based activities like hiking are carried out alongside them. These kinds of river trails rarely offer typical water activities like canoeing, rafting, rowing, and swimming. Outfitters near lakes or rivers may provide these activities, but they are seldom connected with trails. The Ash River Trail in Canada is a good example of a river trail that offers accommodation services and activities along the trail.

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Family and friends are the most important source for first finding out about a trail. Other sources are general knowledge, road maps, tourism information centres, brochures, magazines and news articles. The Internet is one of the most important information sources in searching for further and more specific information about trails. It can act as a portal to all the businesses and activities available in a region providing comprehensive information and planning tools for visitors and encouraging networking amongst providers.

Properties nearby a trail are likely to increase in value after a trail has been developed. Studies from Canada show that trails can initiate economic development in both rural and urban areas where landowners and local business communities benefit.

The most practised activities based around trails were hiking/walking (95%), photography (42%), wildlife viewing (39%), bird watching (34%) and nature study (31%). Having a trail links these activities with other popular past times, as well as supporting services such as accommodation and food, creating a critical mass of products on offer to a potential visitor.

The economic benefits of trails are not limited solely to activities undertaken along the trail. It is estimated that the 75,000 visitors to the upper Missouri Wild and Scenic River trail contribute US$750,000 per annum to the economy of the area around the 149-mile river corridor. With the Bruce Trail in Ontario, as many as 70% of trail users spend money on non-durable goods while they were using the Trail and a 10-km corridor on either side of the trail. There is significant potential to encourage spending on products and services within the wider district within which a trail exists.

Successful trail towns can be starting/ending points of trails or located along the trail (e.g. Lanesboro on the Root River Trail in Southeast Minnesota and Elroy, Wisconsin). To become a successful gateway to a trail and reap economic benefits associated with this, provision of visitor information is crucial. Examples of gateway services include provision of a centre where visitors are informed personally, trail passes are sold, bikes rented and other trail-related material is provided (Elroy Tourism Committee). Shower facilities, pay phone, parking, picnic areas etc. are other services offered to trail users in gateway communities.

It is important to take into account the views of the community in the development of gateway towns, and include them in any such planning. Tourism development must be focused on sustainability, and community involvement is critical to ensure that quality of life does not suffer. Recent research in Marahau (gateway community to Abel Tasman National Park, NZ) suggests conflict around issues of congestion, and points to the need for community involvement in the planning process to avoid this.

Through the economic upswing brought about by a trail, new businesses are developed and new residents attracted to an area. Trails enhance the quality of life, and people may come to live in trail towns, increasing the population. Damascus in South West Virginia had 900 inhabitants in 1990, and after the trail development in 1999, the population had risen to 1200. This growth may not be viewed positively by all residents as house pricing rises for example. In general though, benefits accruing to communities and quality of life are positive.

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The local economy of towns and communities connected to trails can be strongly enhanced by a trail. The economic success of such a town depends on how interested the community is in developing trail-related businesses. Many towns have developed a wide range of businesses offering products and services for the trail user, such as accommodation, food facilities, trail equipment shops and rentals, souvenir shops, general stores, activity outfitters, training course providers etc. It is important to develop a strategy for growth to enable community input, and to ensure maximum economic benefits are managed at a sustainable level. Further references on the economic benefits of trails to towns are linked in Box 2.

Box 2: Economic Benefits of trails to towns ¾ http://www.ashriver.com

¾ http://www.goforgreen.ca/resources/pdf/trailmonitor1.pdf Economic Impact ¾ http://www.nps.gov/pwro/rtca/tourism.htm

¾ http://www.brucegreytrails.com/about.php

¾ http://www.goforgreen.ca/resources/pdf/trailmonitor1.pdf ¾ http://www.bikeguy.net/stuarts%20speech.DOC ¾ http://www.elroywi.com/history.htm ¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/economics/MNecon.html

¾ http://www.goforgreen.ca/resources/pdf/trailmonitor1.pdf ¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/economics/MNecon.html

Communities and Trail Users – Case Studies

While it is difficult to find detailed studies of river trails and their role in successful community development, the two case studies below illustrate many of the characteristics mentioned in the previous section.

1. The Root River Trail, Southeast Minnesota The Root River State Trail consists of 60 miles of relatively flat paved surface following the Root River in Southeast Minnesota. No user fees are charged, and users are cyclists (90%), walkers (6 %), roller-bladers (2%), joggers, and hikers.

Lanesboro (population 800) is situated along the trail and depends economically on it. The trail development and maintenance have created numerous new jobs, expanded the existing ones and created new businesses. Before the trail implementation there was no significant tourism related business in the town. Post-trail Lanesboro has 12 Bed & Breakfasts (with year-long waiting lists), 8 restaurants, an art gallery, a museum, a theatre and other trail-supporting facilities.

The economic impact of a trail on a town like Lanesboro can exceed US$5 million annually. The Minnesota rail trail survey shows that during the summer of 1997, trail visitors spent US$1,524,000 on the Root River Trail. Of this, 80-85% of the money was

24 spent on food, lodging and transportation. The average Root River trail user spends US$39 dollars per day. Further information is available on the internet: see Box 3.

Box 3:Links to more information on the Root River Trail

¾ http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200109/04_mainstreet_trails-

m/marketing.shtml ¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/economics/MNecon.html

¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/MNtrailuse.pdf

2. The Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail, Southwest Virginia Although this case study represents a larger and more developed trail than the previous one, it is an interesting example of the benefits accrued to a community in its role as a gateway to a trail.

The Virginia Creeper Trail is a 34-mile rail trail stretching from Abingdon, through Damascus (located along the centre of the trail), to the Virginia-North Carolina border a mile east of the Whitetop community. The trail attracts more than 100,000 young and old visitors from all over the world every year, with 90% riding mountain bikes (the trail is for non-motorised traffic only). Hunting and camping are allowed in certain areas along the trail.

Damascus (population 1200) is dependent on the money that the thousands of mountain bikers, hikers, fishermen and others bring in. The town has a wide range of services available for the trail users such as a hostel, laundry facility, pharmacy, registration station at the post office, e-mail service, several bed & breakfast's, six restaurants, a coffee shop, an outfitter store, shuttle services and small stores for supplies. Bike related businesses provide shuttle van services, bike rentals, and bike sales. Guided tours are also available. Most of the visitors to the Creeper Trail travel to Damascus first to rent a bike and catch a shuttle bus to White Top Station to begin the 17-mile adventure down hill to Damascus.

Prior to development of the trail, there were almost no businesses in Damascus and the economy was slowing. Now there are more than 30 businesses and a growing population. Most of the businesses are outdoor recreation businesses providing hiking, fishing, biking, horseback riding, hunting etc bringing in 85-90% of the local commerce. The town also organises Trail Days that attract visitors and expose Damascus to visitors. Real estate and personal property tax revenue has doubled.

A 1995 study showed that each trail user spent on average US$49.20 per day on trip related costs. Data gathered by an infrared trail counting device strategically placed out on the Creeper Trail showed that the average daily number of people counted during October weekdays one year was 181, and on Saturdays during the same month it was 523. Based on this, average daily expenditure equals $7,638 for weekdays and $22,070 for Saturdays. Local sales taxes have increased by 70% and cash liquidity has tripled. Food and lodging tax generated $30,000 the first year and empty retail space is scarce.

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The economic impacts to Damascus have been substantial and no doubt this has impacted positively on other areas of community life. For more information on this case study see Box 4.

Box 4: Links to further information on the Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail ¾ http://www.bikeguy.net/Eco%20Impact%20of%20Trails.ppt ¾ http://www.city-data.com/city/Damascus-Virginia.html ¾ http://www.sullivan-county.com/nf0/ep/creeper2.htm ¾ http://www.bikeguy.net/stuarts%20speech.DOC

¾ http://www.sullivan-county.com/w/creeper.htm ¾ http://www.vacreepertrail.org ¾ http://www.damascus.org

Individual Products Any community/trail type product is only as strong as its individual elements. This section reviews the most feasible products for Arapuni as identified in the activity matrix earlier, looks at costs and barriers to development, and discusses the potential of each in light of the case studies of successful communities as gateways to a trail.

1. Community Art The potential to encourage visitors to Arapuni with art workshops, small art shops and possible art exhibitions is high, and costs are low as artists and craftspeople are already living and working in Arapuni. There is no town specialised in promoting art within the district, this could be a unique market with few comparable competitors. Furthermore, international market trends are moving towards enhancing villages and trails with art (Box 5). Development of a community art cluster has no negative impact on the environment and no conflict potential with the community. The Arapuni Village Strategic Plan (Siely, 2003) and the community itself sees the accumulation of artists as a high potential to develop an efficient tourism market and enhance the local economy as discussed with the Focus Group.

Box 5: Some Internet-addresses of successful art trails:

¾ http://www.irwellsculpturetrail.co.uk Irwell Sculpture Trail, United Kingdom

¾ http://www.kunstwegen.nordhorn.de/ Vechte Valley Route, Germany-Netherlands ¾ http://www.americantrails.org/resources/art/planetwalk.html ¾ B&A Planet Trail, Maryland, USA ¾ http://www.publicartonline.org.uk/case/river_parrett/trail.html

The River Parrett Trail, United Kingdom ¾ http://wwwistp.murdoch.edu.au/su/Sunsmart/Sunsmart%20Final%20Folder/intro.htm: ‘Sunsmart artist-in-residence Art trail’, Guilderton, Australia.

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2. Town Tour Given the history and heritage associated with the town and dam, and the presence of the active Te Wananga O Raukawa, there is great potential to develop a tour based around the township of Arapuni. The dam is the oldest operating station on the Waikato river and has an interesting history. The swing bridge is both historical and unique, and offers a picturesque view of the river and bush. Cultural elements as discussed below could also be incorporated. A fascinating tour could be developed based in Arapuni and this kind of approach presents a good tool for involving young and elderly people alike. It offers a way to reconnect locals with their heritage through storytelling, and it fits well with the experience that visitors are increasingly seeking.

3. Maori Culture/Archaeology There is increasing interest in indigenous cultures and crafts by the ‘interactive traveller’ and the appeal of the rural experience which Arapuni can offer is strengthened by the variety of Maori heritage in the area. Already the Te Wananga O Raukawa in Arapuni is looking at developing team building experiences which could be adapted for visitor experiences. They have a waka which is visible from the township. Pikitu Marae is considering marae visits in conjunction with history and narrative on an archaeological site which has been excavated by the University of Auckland. The group already host groups on an adhoc basis and are actively seeking ways to strengthen this business in order to provide jobs for returning family members. A wealth of history and culture can be shared based around such an experience, with visitors gaining understanding through learning. There is also potential to develop a display in the town imparting some history, culture and perhaps display of artefacts to inform and attract people to the site.

4. Abseiling/Climbing In the Lakes Assessment made by Tokoroa Visitor Information Centre (2004) the presence of rock formations and a gorge is noted. As these natural resources are present, and implementation costs are low, there is potential to open up new climbing and abseiling locations. At present guided climbing tours and abseiling are available, and the Castle Rock facility near Te Awamutu is growing as a destination for rock climbers. Arapuni and the South Waikato district could expand on the growing reputation for the sport in the region.

5. Canoeing & Kayaking Lake Arapuni is not renowned for kayaking, but the natural resources are conducive to still water kayaking. Starting a kayaking business would involve medium costs. At the moment kayaking is already provided at the lake by Paddlin’ About based at Jones’ Landing and by Out In The Styx, Pukeatua (to their guests). Market trends are showing popularity in this activity whose impact on the environment and the conflict potential with the community are low.

6. Fishing Presently mainly day trippers and locals are fishing on Lake Arapuni. Three boat ramps exist by the lake, located approximately ten minutes drive time from the Arapuni village. Consequently there will be few implementation costs for a fishing business. Natural resources are high, even if the lake is not seen as providing quality trout fishing (Tokoroa Visitor Information Centre, 2004). Without much current competition there is a

27 high potential to develop a fishing business on Lake Arapuni. Fishing is quite popular and its impacts on the environment can be regulated e.g. by a fishing licence system. As there is already some fishing activity on the lake the conflict potential with the community will be minimal.

Potential as coach stopover Arapuni is located on a high-frequented bus route between ‘Waitomo Caves’ and Rotorua. The “Arapuni Village Strategic Plan” illustrates that the village already attracts coach tourists to visit the swing bridge. On average every day three coaches with a passenger load of approximately 36 stop at Arapuni. The passengers usually have a look at the bridge or take the opportunity to walk on it, and use the public toilets. As the bus stop near the swing bridge does not have any facilities, an average stop lasts 8-12 minutes. The length of a stopover could be expanded and new business brought into the village by offering facilities such as eateries, souvenir shops, bars etc (Siely, 2003) to the coach tourists. Although not a product as such, the potential for Arapuni becoming a bus stopover would be determined by the other products on offer, and would in turn enhance the feasibility of these products.

Discussion with tour drivers indicates that the exact route a coach follows is determined by the driver and may vary from day to day. To encourage a driver to pass a certain way and stop at a specific location requires considerable effort, and is greatly increased by offering plenty of clean toilets, as well as incentives for driver. With retail stores this is usually in the form of a commission (minimum of 10% often higher), and with food stops for example drivers may get a cash bonus or go into the draw for a cash ‘prize’.

In order to attract buses for overnight stops core facilities such as accommodation and food have to be provided, and the greater the number and diversity of amenities available, the more likelihood of a stop. Kiwi Experience for instance, offer tours throughout New Zealand for backpackers and independent travellers. They have scheduled stops in both Rotorua and Waitomo on their main North Island route, and often pass through Arapuni village where they may stop briefly to give travellers the opportunity to see the swing bridge or use the toilets. Core facilities alone are not enough when it comes to attracting Kiwi Experience to an area because offering a unique experience or activity in an appealing location is of importance.

In Arapuni there are presently no tourism businesses, and only a few suppliers of outdoors activities based in the immediate area. Development of the desired facilities to cater for tour coaches would cost a significant amount of money and time as well as impacting significantly on the nature of the community. It will be challenging to develop Arapuni so that tour companies will be encouraged to make overnight stops in the town as it will have to compete with nearby Waitomo and Rotorua. However, the number of coaches travelling through Arapuni does present some potential for development. Tourists would stay longer and spend money in Arapuni if the town developed necessary facilities such as eateries, bars, souvenirs and other shops close to where the coaches stop. For this to happen, infrastructure support is critical.

28 4. A Way Forward

International experience and research indicate that for communities such as Arapuni, an integrated approach to product development is required. The tourism product mix which can be used to boost economic development for the area is based around the combination of the lake, river trail and community assets. Promotion of heritage, arts and natural resources are vital components to local success, and integration with products in the broader region is also crucial. Research indicates that trails, and communities which have embraced their role as a gateway to a trail, have reaped significant economic benefits from the visitors that utilise a trail.

The target market for tourism around Arapuni is The Interactive Traveller, who is more likely to: - be a free and independent traveller who is attracted off the ‘beaten path’ into more remote regions - desire authentic experiences revolving around the unique culture and environment of this area. - seek an authentic New Zealand experience and will enjoy the personal touch in interacting with tourist operators - use the internet to research their destination and plan their trip.

These visitors will appreciate the type of experience that Arapuni could conceivably offer as opposed to, or in conjunction with, the traditional mass tourism experiences offered by the surrounding destinations of Rotorua and Taupo.

There is real potential for clustered products that also mesh with external trails and products. By using a cluster approach and nurturing a variety of small scale quality products that are networked together to create a critical mass, a unique experience can be created for visitors to Arapuni.

From the focus group discussion, a tentative vision for Arapuni could be to said to embrace:

high yield, low impact tourism that creates sustainable economic benefit for the community without compromising Arapuni’s unique quality of life.

An Action Plan In order to take tourism development to the next stage and meet the type of vision outlined above, the following core aims need to be taken into account: • To create a local economic situation which attracts and supports sustainable businesses. • To build linkages, clustering and networks featuring tourism-related business and experiences. • To provide information that will support tourism-related decision-making. • To ensure the service level expectations of visitors are realistic and are met or exceeded. • To provide quality visitor information and build lasting relationships with visitors.

29 • To provide, package and market a quality, diverse, sustainable and innovative tourism experience. • To engage community and stakeholders in the planning and development of tourism.

The following are the core actions to be undertaken, and a suggested timeframe for each based on progression of these actions without delay (Table 8).

Table 8: Timeframe for Action Plan Action Timeframe Community Consultation November 04 to March 05 Cluster Development December 04 to March 05 Marketing February 05 to August 05 Product & Business Development February 05 to September 05

1. Community consultation over possible tourism development options In order to support tourism development it is critical that the community is involved and together develop a clear vision for their town and surroundings. In order to start this process, public meetings should be held to canvas opinion and develop a vision for tourism in the community. A broad range of participants from all walks of life and backgrounds should be encouraged to participate. This should include the majority of people currently involved in tourism in the area, representatives from education, sports and the broader community.

A second step is to interview owners or managers of tourism enterprises both locally and regionally. General information on market characteristics will, for example, provide the operator perspective on the current tourism situation and paint a clearer picture of the issues small operators may face.

A survey should then be conducted to gain the visitor perspective on the area, and help businesses target the types of experience visitors are seeking. Information to collect should include: demographic characteristics; how they travelled; the ease with which they found information; their use of the Internet; how they see Arapuni as a destination; their motivations; and activities undertaken during their stay. In order to keep the surveying economical, we suggest involving graduate students or locally trained people to administer the survey. It could also be left with current businesses that host visitors to the district.

Timeframe November – December 2004 (public meetings, interviews with tourism operators), Dec- March (survey)

2. Cluster development Having gained a solid picture of the supply and demand side of tourism in the district, the next step is to form ‘mini’ cluster groups of current and potential tourism operators. The aim is to get providers of current tourism experiences together to meet and review product strengths and complementarities. Broader groups of operators should also be invited to participate (Castle Rock, tour operators etc).

30 Issues to discuss will include what future mix of products will be most appealing to different market segments. Focus groups would then be used to gather additional qualitative information from visitors and potential visitors.

Steps need to be identified that ensure future developments will be planned and implemented in a way that will increase local economic benefits, especially to Arapuni. One way to approach this is through product benchmarking looking at successful examples of communities developing tourism and how they approached the issues. Once best practice steps have been identified, it is important to gather feedback on local resident attitudes toward different product development proposals, and suggest mechanisms and approaches to resolve potential conflicts.

Workshops with local people and operators can then be held to inform and collect ideas that can start to shape the specific tourism products that may be developed. Development of product clusters (arts, heritage/archaeology etc) for the initial creation of themed experiences is a proven method for progress development and addresses any conflicts which may arise. A variety of trails can be developed to link businesses offering complementary experiences. These may be arts trails, water-activity trails or Maori cultural trails.

Timeframe December - March 2004

3. Marketing A marketing tool to assist Arapuni and its constituent components to link with external trails and visitor flows needs to be developed. Given the nature of the community product being developed, it may make sense to look at approaches that enable local generation of web content and information.

‘Web-raising’ techniques may be able to aid in the construction of an Arapuni website. This approach has now been adopted and facilitated in a number of locations and involves getting businesses and key stakeholders together to ‘build’ a website. Such an approach generates unique content, and also gets people thinking about the links they have with each other, letting them see the potential of the internet as a business tool. In simple terms it is like a ‘barn-raising’ where communities in the American West would come together to build a facility for a new community member and in the process of doing so would welcome the new member in to the surrounding community.

Timeframe – Feb - August 2005 for development and completion of community website which features individual products/operators and is linked to surrounding product/trails.

4. Product and Business Development The above actions are all important to follow in order to develop a sustainable tourism economy based around Arapuni. There are however, a number of simple actions which are critical to develop throughout the process.

In order to make progress on the ground, local champions – people with a motivation to drive the process - need to be identified. Assistance also needs to be available in terms of business skills and mentoring for successful development of new operations.

31 Signage and interpretation are important for communicating to the visitor. Without these it will be difficult to get the visitor to Arapuni, and then communicate the richness of experience on offer. To enable this, the experience and stories of locals need to be gathered and documented. Just talking to local people reveals the wealth of knowledge available. The key is to capture and communicate this local knowledge.

Common technological infrastructure is required to facilitate the development of entrepreneurial networks and to market the tourism product. Web technology can be used to allow these component businesses to assist each other to provide a “complete” experience to the customer by delivering complimentary products. This aggregation of businesses linked by web technology, along with its potential customers, can be seen as a form of virtual community. The web technology can also be used to support and strengthen the networks between businesses (within and also outside the clusters).

There are several advantages to creating and maintaining a virtual community: first, it generates stocks of new, unique and proprietary content that is hard for competitors to replicate. Second, virtual communities can potentially create significant returns to scale in content production, reputation, and revenues for organizers.

Along with internal clusters and network development within the district, external networks must also be cultivated. Links, both virtual and real, must be established with other products and trails outside of the region in order to support flows of visitors within and into the district.

Timeframe Feb – September 2005.

Beyond 2005 With the above actions implemented, a critical mass of activities will be attracting increased visitor numbers and improving economic yield per tourist. Existing businesses will be experiencing growth and networking will continue to strengthen. This will allow greater incorporation of tourism businesses and the district into existing and new regional and national trails, cementing the South Waikato District’s place on the New Zealand tourism trail for interactive travellers. Profiling in key guides/websites will appear, in turn attracting new businesses and expansion of existing business to cater for increased visitors. Their spending will result in increased income, employment and sustainable development opportunities for the community. The creation of an appropriate and effective gateway to the river trail will provide a model and example for other communities to follow.

32 4. References Carruthers, Daniel. (1997). Local residents’ & visitors perceptions of the South Waikato. Report to the Management Team of the South Waikato District Council.

DesignDesign New Zealand. (Februrary 29, 2004). Image and Branding South Waikato. Evaluation Report prepared for South Waikato District Council.

Dr. McConchie, Jack. Waikato River: Geomorphic Processes. Victoria Univesity of Wellington, School of Earth Sciences.

Environment Waikato (Waikato Regional Council). (November 2002). Mighty River Power Limited (Waikato Hydro System). Hearing at the Ferrybank Conference and Reception Centre, Hamilton.

Garcia, Pablo. (February 28, 1994). A Proposed Role for the South Waikato District Council in the District’s Economic Development.

Informetrics Ltd. (July 31, 2002). Analysis of the South Waikato Economy. Report to the Ministry of Economic Development.

KiwiExperience. (2004). Information retrieved August 20, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://219.89.118.234/kiwi/nzindex.htm

Levy, Michelle, Hickling, Lisa, & Neill, Beth. (July 1996). Recreational Uses of the Waikato River Corridor Summer 1995/96. Hamilton: University of Waikato.

Roper, David, & Environmental Group Mighty River Power. (March 2001). Taupo Waikato Resource Consents Assessment of Environmental Effects. Hamilton: Author.

Sanderson, Kel, & Arcus, Mat. (October 2003). Scoping the potential for the Waikato River Trial. Report to South Waikato District Council, Wellington: Business and Economic Research Limited.

Shields, Alan. (May 2001). South Waikato District Visitor Strategy. A draft strategy for sustainable growth and development, South Waikato District Council.

Siely, Catherine. (October 2003). Arapuni Village. Strategic Plan.

South Waikato District Council. (September 2002). Economic Development for the South Waikato Region. Overview. Retrieved August 20, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.swktodc.govt.nz/economic_development/econdev_overview.htm

Suthey Holler Associates. (Summer 2003). A Development Manual for a Community- based ATV Tourism Product. Canada: Author.

The Ministry of Tourism. (2003). Towards 2010: Implementing the New Zealand Tourism Strategy. Retrieved August 19, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.tourism.govt.nz/strategy/str-update-2003/str-update-2003- report/str-update-2003-report.pdf

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The Ministry of Tourism. (2003). New Zealand Tourism Strategy. Retrieved August 19, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.tourism.govt.nz/strategy/index.html

Tokoroa Visitor Information Centre. (2004). Lakes Assessment Worksheet.

Tourism Research Council New Zealand. (2003). New Zealand Regional Tourism Forecasts 2003-2009: Waikato Region. Retrieved August 11, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.trcnz.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/C4865AFD-9E71-46D1-876C- E43A828EAC0C/1561/WaikatoRegion1.pdf

References by topic

Characteristics of successful trails

American Hiking Society. (February 2004). The Economic Benefits of Trails. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.americanhiking.org/news/pdfs/econ_ben.pdf

Bruce Grey Trails Network. (2004). Information retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.brucegreytrails.com/about.php

Go for Green. (2003). The Economic Benefits of Trails. Trail Monitor 1. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.goforgreen.ca/resources/pdf/trailmonitor1.pdf

National Park Service. (2004). Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.nps.gov/lecl/index.htm

Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance National Park Service. (1995). Fourth Edition, Revised. Economic impacts of protecting rivers, trails, and greenway corridors. A resource book. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.nps.gov/pwro/rtca/tourism.htm

Characteristics of successful towns linked to trails

Arizona’s White Mountain Region. (2004). Pinetop-Lakeside. Information retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.azwhitemountains.net/getaways.htm

Az Tourist News. (July 1, 2004). 17th Annual Native American Art Festival – Heritage Event in Pinetop Lakeside. AZ Tourist News. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.aztourist.com/news_index807.html

Carlson, James G. (2000). Utilizing Irrigation Canals in Northern Utah for Recreational Trail Use: An Evaluation of Issues and Concerns. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from American Trails Website: http://www.americantrails.org/resources/planning/CarlsonCh3.htm

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City of Elroy. (2004). Elroy, Wisconsin. Where the trails meet. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.elroywi.com

Destination Cape Breton Association. (2004). Information retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.cbisland.com/index.php

Dumond, Chris. (May 1, 2004). Virginia Creeper Trail brings ‘significant economic impact’. Bristol Herald Courier. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.sullivan-county.com/nf0/ep/creeper2.htm

Elroy-Sparta National Trail, Inc. (2000). The Elroy-Sparta State Trail. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from The World Wide Web: http://www.elroy-sparta-trail.com/

Go for Green. (2003). The Economic Benefits of Trails. Trail Monitor 1. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.goforgreen.ca/resources/pdf/trailmonitor1.pdf

Gunderson, Dan. (September 5, 2001). Peddling Minnesota’s bike trails. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from Minnesota Public Radio Website: http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200109/04_mainstreet_trails- m/marketing.shtml

Horsch, Thomas. The Economic Impact of Trails on Damascus, Virginia. A Case Study on a Rural Town. PowerPoint Presentation retrieved from the World Wide Web: http://www.bikeguy.net/Eco%20Impact%20of%20Trails.ppt

Horsch, Thomas. The Economic Impact of Trails on Damascus, Virginia. A Case Study on a Rural Town. Companion Speech retrieved from the World Wide Web: http://www.bikeguy.net/stuarts%20speech.DOC

Lanesboro Chamber of Commerce. (2004). Root River State Trail. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.lanesboro.com/lanesboro- rootrivertrail.html

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. (2004). Heartland. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from The World Wide Web: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/heartland/index.html

Pinetop-Lakeside Chamber of Commerce. (2004). Information retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.pinetoplakesidechamber.com/main.html

Ryan, Karen-Lee, & Winterich, Julie A. Secrets of Successful Rail-Trails. An Acquisition and Organizing Manual for Converting Rails into Trails. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from Rails to Trails Conservancy Website: http://www.trailsandgreenways.org/resources/development/acquis/secrets_boo k.asp

Sjoquist, Gary. (February 2003). The Economic and Social Benefit of Trails. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from American Trails Website:

35 http://www.americantrails.org/resources/economics/MNecon.html

The Economic Planning Group of Canada Tourism Consultants. (March 2003). A “Trails for Tourism” Strategy for Cape Breton. Executive Summary Report. Report prepared for Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from American Trail Website: http://www.ecbc.ca/e/Trails%20Study03.pdf

Town of Damascus. (2004). Information retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.damascus.org

Trails and Greenways Clearinghouse. (2004). Economic Benefits of Trails and Greenways. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from Rails to Trails Conservancy Website: http://www.trailsandgreenways.org/resources/benefits/topics/tgc_economic.pdf

User surveys of successful Trails

Arizona State Parks. (2000). Arizona Trails 2000. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from American Trails Website: http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/AZmultiusech3.pdf

Iowa Department of Transportation. (2000). Iowa Trails 2000. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.dot.state.ia.us/trails/CHPT02.HTML

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Trails and Waterways Division, & Office of Management and Budget Services. (July 2000). State Trail Use. Summary of Summer Trail Use and User Surveys Conducted in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from American Trails Website: http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/MNtrailuse.pdf

North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. (1999). North Carolina comprehensive trail and greenway survey. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from American Trails Website: http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/PlanNCSurvey.html

Nova Scotia Department of Economic Development & Tourism, Nova Scotia Sport and Recreation Commission, & Human Resource Development Canada. (January 1999). A Survey of Nova Scotia Hiking Trail Users. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from American Trails Website: http://www.americantrails.org/resources/adjacent/NovaSurvey.html

Art and Trails

Commissions in the Environment. (2003). Irwell Sculpture Trail. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.irwellsculpturetrail.co.uk/

Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails. (May 22, 2004). B&A Trail will host Planet Museum of solar system. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from American Trails Website: http://www.americantrails.org/resources/art/planetwalk.html

36 German National Tourist Board. (2004). Experience art on the river Vechte. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.germany-tourism.de/biking/route10.html

Institute for Sustainability and Technology Policy. (1999). Sunsmart artist-in-residence Art trail, moore river, guilderton. Information retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://wwwistp.murdoch.edu.au/su/Sunsmart/Sunsmart%20Final%20Folder/intro. htm

Kriegisch, Thomas. (June 24, 1998). Ist die Kunst gut, kommt auch das Publikum. Grafschafter Nachrichten. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.kunstwegen.nordhorn.de/p-gn-01.htm

Public Art South West. (2004). Case Study: River Parrett Trail. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: www.publicartonline.org.uk/case/river_parrett/trail.html

Public Art South West. (2004). Case Study: Irwell Sculpture Trail. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from the World Wide Web: www.publicartonline.org.uk/case/river_parrett/trail.html

Siely, Catherine. (October 2003). Arapuni Village. Strategic Plan.

Tracy, Charles. (March 2004). Artful Ways: enhancing trails and greenways with art and artists. Retrieved August 17, 2004 from American Trails Website: http://www.americantrails.org/resources/art/ArtfulWays.html

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