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The Department of Conservation has signed a partnership agreement witb the Tourism Industry Association aimed at getting more commercial activities in national parks and other conservation land.
Director-general Lou Sanson says DoC has a long history of working with industry.
He says the agreement is a symbol of its commitment to a new way of working with iwi, businesses and communities to develop commercial opportunities that promote and enhance conservation.
Principles in the agreement include promoting the value of commercially delivered recreation to deliver quality, safe experiences for a wide range of people;
– Promoting business practices that exemplify kaitiakitanga or guardianship;
– And pursuing national consistency in DOC’s commercial processes and decision-making .
Association chief executive Chris Roberts says the industry wants to almost double tourism revenue to almost $41 billion over the next decade.
He says DOC manages a third of New Zealand’s total land area and hundreds of tourism operators rely on access to public conservation areas.
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