West Coast Visitor Strategy (Draft)

August 2000

Contents

Introduction

Goal

Objective One: Education

Objective Two: Minimising Impacts

Objective Three: New Economic Opportunities

Objective Four: Visitor Satisfaction

Objective Five: Infrastructure

Objective Six: Profile

Objective Seven: Supporting Existing Operators

Objective Eight: Monitoring

Objective Nine: Partnerships

Introduction

The area referred to as the West Coast in this Strategy includes the coastal settlements of Piha, Bethells, Karekare, Huia, Cornwallis, Whatipu and Anawhata - including the Council administered parks in this area. The Waitakere Ranges form a spectacular backdrop to these settlements.

The West Coast and Waitakere Ranges are recognised as "Taonga" or treasures by diverse groups of people including iwi, the local communities, and the residents of the wider Auckland Region. Indeed, the ecological values of parts of the West Coast are of national importance. Nevertheless, human interaction with the area has altered the West Coast, and it is like that this interaction will increase with development and increased visitor numbers.

In 1995, Council adopted a Tourism Strategic Plan. In implementing the Plan the Council has focused its activities away from the West Coast area, awaiting the preparation of the West Coast Plan. The Draft West Coast Plan is in the process of being finalised. It is timely, therefore, for Council to revisit issues relating to visitors to the West Coast, and to formulate an appropriate strategy.

The development of this Strategy has been guided by the Draft West Coast Plan - including its vision, guiding principles, goals, targets and actions. However it is a Council strategy rather than a community strategy. It focuses on actions that can be undertaken by Council (including Enterprise Waitakere) - often in partnership with other stakeholders.

This Strategy addresses a range of economic, social and environmental issues associated with visitors to the West Coast area. It seeks to establish a path forward for Council, enabling some economic opportunities associated with visitors to be explored while maintaining the high ecological and heritage values of the West Coast. It also recognises that West Coast residents are affected by visitors to the area - and that Waitakere City residents value the area for the recreational opportunities that it provides (as well as for its high natural values). The Strategy recognises, therefore, the need to balance different, and sometimes competing needs.

The Strategy should be read in conjunction with the West Coast Visitor Strategy: Background Issues Report (referred to as the Background Report) which contains much more detailed information about visitors to the area, visitor-related issues facing the area, and different scenarios or policy options for the way in which Council manages visitor issues in the future.

This Strategy has been developed by drawing on aspects of the six scenarios that are discussed in detail in the Background Report. The following shows the extent to which each scenario has influenced the Strategy.

back to top

Scenario One: Special conservation area

While this scenario has implications that are wider than visitor related issues, the educational focus of this scenario is reflected in the Strategy. The Strategy also highlights the need to manage visitor impacts.

Scenario Two: Status quo - visitors not actively encouraged or discouraged

As explained in the Background Report, visitor numbers would continue to increase under this scenario - meaning that impacts would continue to increase without additional benefits. For these reasons the Strategy is not based on this scenario.

Scenario Three: Managed nature based tourism - using existing facilities

This is the main scenario driving the Strategy in terms of the types of economic opportunities that could be consistent with the Strategy goal and objectives.

Scenario Four: Managed nature based tourism - with some additional facilities

This scenario is similar to the previous one. However the Strategy anticipates new facilities only to the extent to which they could be achieved within the Proposed District Plan - in other words it does not recommend changes to the District Plan to widen the range of visitor facilities that would be permitted in the West Coast area.

Scenario Five: Maximise tourism development opportunities

This scenario was rejected on the grounds that it would be unacceptable for environmental and social reasons.

Scenario Six: Actively discourage visitors

This scenario is not practical in relation to the West Coast as a whole, however the Strategy recognises that it may be possible to discourage visitors away from remote or wilderness areas.

The Strategy has a goal and nine objectives as shown in the diagram below. Each objective has policies, tasks, and/or actions associated with it. Of course the objectives do overlap with one another and many of the policies, tasks and actions listed under individual objectives, also contribute to other objectives.

This Strategy is currently in draft form. In the process of finalising the Strategy it is expected that the nine objectives will be prioritised and that actions will be costed. It is also anticipated that some of the actions will be made more specific in terms of how they relate to different locations within the West Coast area - and that this may require some debate about the role that different parts of the West Coast will play.

back to top

Goal

Waitakere City and the West Coast communities benefit from the activities of visitors to the West Coast, to the extent that this is compatible with minimising adverse impacts of visitors.

Discussion

While the West Coast provides many recreational opportunities for Waitakere City residents there are currently few economic benefits to the West Coast or the City as a whole from the large number of visitors to the area. This is because visitors are mainly day-trippers, getting to the area under their own steam - most do not stay overnight or take part in organised activities. In addition there are few facilities in or near the West Coast area to attract people to spend money.

There is some potential to increase the economic contribution of visitors in the medium term, however this should not be overstated. This Strategy anticipates that the main benefits to the City from visitor activity on the West Coast will continue to be recreational - and that economic benefits will be smaller. The area could likely be exploited for much higher economic gain (as reflected in Scenario 5 in the Background Report) but this would come at an unacceptable social and environmental cost.

The West Coast already experiences significant adverse social and environmental impacts from visitor activities. With rapid population growth predicted for the Auckland region over the next fifty years, visitor numbers will increase. So will the impacts. The Background Report contains much more detail on the impacts - the main ones being pressure on infrastructure, reduced visual amenity, and anti-social, careless or irresponsible behaviour (causing nuisance, risks to personal safety, and environmental damage). While all parts of the West Coast experience some impacts it is worth noting that Piha bears the brunt of the adverse impacts.

It is important that these impacts are addressed. The local communities themselves are playing a lead role in this. Council also has important role to play, both in supporting local community management plans and in performing its functions as a regulator and infrastructure provider. Council can influence the impacts of visitors through the way in which it undertakes these activities. However, it cannot directly limit access to West Coast beaches or place limits on visitor numbers in general.

This Strategy seeks to explore some of the economic opportunities associated with visitors to the area, while addressing the adverse impacts and ensuring a high quality visitor experience. Inevitably there will be some conflict between these different "strands". Managed carefully these conflicts can be minimised.

back to top

Objective One: Education

Visitors are well-informed about the area, its high natural, landscape and heritage values and its hazards. They are encouraged to behave with respect for the environment, for local communities and for their own personal safety.

Discussion

The West Coast area has high ecological, landscape and heritage values are being compromised by visitor activity. Local communities are also affected by visitors. Some of the adverse impacts are related to the number of visitors, particularly to certain locations. Others are a result of the way in which visitors behave - or the way in which they carry out certain activities. Sometimes visitors put their own personal safety at risk through their actions.

Usually these adverse impacts are caused by ignorance - of the area's natural values, of its hazards and of the potential impacts on communities. This objective seeks to ensure that visitors take responsibility for their own actions by being better informed about the possible consequences of inappropriate behaviour.

Policy, Tasks and Actions

• Prepare a set of information leaflets about particular aspects of the West Coast - such as water safety and environmental threats, highlighting appropriate behaviour.
• Utilise existing facilities (such as shops and libraries), both within and on the periphery of the West Coast area to distribute this information. Information should also be made available to tour operators and could be used in schools.
• Investigate new channels through which to distribute visitor information. These should include:
  • A visitor's centre at Piha. This will need to be investigated further in consultation with the local community. It could take a number of forms ranging from an information board to a building. It could be a new structure or the enhancement of an existing structure..
  • A web-site containing links to community web-sites - some of which have already been established.
• Investigate the possibility of a partnership with the Auckland Regional Council that would enable interpretative information about the West Coast to be provided at Arataki.
• Develop a "code of practice" that local operators would be required to, or encouraged to adopt. This should ensure not only that operators are well informed about appropriate behaviour but that they play a role in educating visitors about the environment and about the impact of their activities on the environment. The code of practice could include a requirement that all tour operators visiting West Coast locations, stop at Arataki Visitors Centre.
• Work with Te Kawerau a Maki to investigate ways in which visitors could be educated about the history of the area and about aspects of the West Coast of special significance to iwi.
• Promote visitor activities (see Objective Three: New Economic Opportunities), which have a specific educative focus - for example an "environmental centre" which focuses on enabling visitors to be educated about, and become involved in some of the community-led environmental management programmes (such as dune planting).
• Ensure that "favourite places" (see Objective Two: Minimising Impacts) are well supported by interpretative information which outlines key features of the site including heritage (iwi and European), ecology, threats, etc.
• Hold events such as an annual "Care for the Waitakere Ranges" day (identified as an action in the draft West Coast Plan), to encourage visitors to participate in activities that will benefit the environment - such as removing weeds, planting and picking up rubbish.
• Investigate ways in which existing events, such as "Art on the Beach" could incorporate a greater educational focus.

back to top

Objective Two: Minimising Impacts

A range of tools is applied to minimise the impact of visitors on the environment and on local communities.

Discussion

Objective One: Education, is about reducing impacts by ensuring that people are better informed. Objective Two is about using a range of other tools to address the impacts of visitors. Council cannot directly limit access to West Coast beaches or place limits on visitor numbers in general - but it may be able to influence the impact of visitors in other ways.

In some cases there are no easy answers to addressing visitor impacts. This may be because the tools that Council has are limited, or it may be because some impacts are not well enough understood - both in terms of their extent and their cause. For this reason Objective Eight: Monitoring, is very important as it involves gaining a better understanding of visitor impacts, and developing measures and targets which can be monitored over time. As this work progresses, new methods of addressing impacts can be investigated.

This objective should also be read in conjunction with Objective Five: Infrastructure, as the way in which Council provides infrastructure (including the location and type of infrastructure provided) will have implications for visitor impacts.

Policy, Tasks and Actions

• Ensure that Council is aware of and supports community management plans and contributes towards the development and review of these plans. If community management plans are in conflict with Council policy, ensure that this is discussed with the local community and that Council's position is clear. As a first step it would be useful for Council to review all the community management plans and prepare a short report summarising key points, points of difference and highlighting any issues or implications for Council.
• Investigate legal and other issues associated with licensing of operators on Council administered land. If feasible, develop a policy of licensing all operators and requiring operators to adhere to a code of practice.
• Where possible, encourage visitors towards locations able to cope with more visitors, and away from more sensitive areas. This may involve:
  • Investigating the possibility of introducing "favourite places" which visitors would be encouraged towards. These places would need to be identified in consultation with the local community, including local people with good local knowledge of the area. In general these places should be high interest, and able to be fitted with appropriate infrastructure - such as short interpretative trails with wheel-chair access. Parking and "turn-around" facilities would need to be provided. There are two options for the way in which favourite places could be utilised. One would be to direct visitors to the places (by use of signage and other information) once they arrive at the West Coast. The other would be to use the favourite places in association with any profiling of the area (see Objective Six, Profile).
  • Reinforcing the areas that the Auckland Regional Council has identified as suitable for higher visitor numbers - such as Arataki, and Cascades/Kauri, while discouraging people away from "remote" areas - such as Whatipu. This would be achieved in consultation with the Auckland Regional Council and may involve using the same images that the Regional Council uses to promote the area. It could also involve limiting the provision of infrastructure in some places - such as not sealing the road to Whatipu.
• Prepare a short report summarising all Council by-laws that have implications for visitors to the West Coast , identifying the level of enforcement and any major issues that may need to be reviewed.
• As a next step investigate options for improved enforcement of by-laws. This could involve introducing voluntary or paid rangers or wardens to areas with high visitor impacts in peak periods. Rangers or wardens would not only enforce by-laws but would have an important role to play in terms of educating people and encouraging more responsible behaviour. Options identified in the past have included using local people as "voluntary rangers", or funding the Regional Council to extend its ranger operations to areas administered by Waitakere City Council (such as already happens at Bethells). The role of rangers would vary according to whether they were voluntary or paid and depending on the particular by-laws they were administering and the legislation governing those by-laws.
• Continue to administer the Proposed District Plan in such a way that minimises the impact of visitor related facilities. Particular issues relate to the impact of development on the visual amenity and water quality issues arising from sewerage systems (septic tanks) - it should be noted, however, that these issues are not confined to visitor related development.
• Explore with Te Kawerau a Maki options for giving effect to their role as Kaitiakitanga - stewards of the West Coast.

back to top

Objective Three: New Economic Opportunities

Opportunities are explored for visitor related economic activities that are consistent with maintaining high environmental standards. Priority will be given to activities which have an educative focus and to activities which have the potential to attract visitors who may otherwise visit the area on a casual basis.

Discussion

This objective is about facilitating new economic opportunities (including the expansion of existing enterprises) which will attract people to spend more money in the West Coast area or elsewhere in Waitakere City. An important part of facilitating these opportunities will be ensuring that they are compatible with the area and with the other objectives of this Strategy.

As discussed in relation to the Strategy goal, the economic opportunities compatible with this Strategy should make a small contribution to the West Coast and Waitakere City economies.

Enterprise Waitakere should play a key role in implementing this objective.

Policy, Tasks and Actions

• Develop a "checklist" for Enterprise Waitakere to use in assessing and facilitating new activities. This could be used to filter activities that would not be suitable for the area (for example activities that are not compatible with the Proposed District Plan policy), but its primary use would be as a guideline in helping to ensure that new activities are carried out in a way that maintains environmental and social standards. Considerations that would be taken into account in developing these guidelines would include (but would not be limited to):
  • Compatibility with the Proposed District Plan, with Reserve Management Plans, with the West Coast Plan and with community management plans.
  • Community input
  • Iwi issues
  • Linkages with tourism opportunities in the rest of Waitakere City
  • The target market - in particular whether it includes Auckland Regional visitors who may be "diverted" from casual recreation to more organised activities
  • Potential impacts and how these would be monitored
  • Implications for peak periods
  • Ability to meet requirements of a code of practice
• Prepare written information about Council's policies and rules that Enterprise Waitakere could provide to potential new operators. This could include information about the Proposed District Plan, the code of practice (if developed), environmentally friendly guidelines, the required process for getting approval to hold events, etc. Enterprise Waitakere could also provide potential new operators with copies of the West Coast Plan.
• Work with Te Kawerau a Maki to help them identify opportunities for employment - for example the use of Arataki as a cultural showcase.
• Work in partnership with a range of stakeholders to identify and facilitate new economic opportunities in the West Coast and on the periphery of the area. Stakeholders may include operators, the community, interest groups, the Surf Life Saving Clubs, Council, tourism organisations and the Auckland Regional Council as appropriate. Some of the types of activities which may be suitable could include:
  • Activities associated with arts and crafts
  • Tours - using small vehicles and guides with good local knowledge. These may be linked with activities in other parts of Waitakere City such as visits to wineries
  • Education or research based facilities with visitor programmes -these may be linked with programmes elsewhere in the City (such as the Resource Centre at the Concourse) or at Arataki.
  • Activities with a heritage or cultural focus - particularly involving iwi
  • Small scale visitor accommodation (such as bed and breakfast operations)
  • Some types of "adventure" tourism
  • Home-hosted meals
  • Activities making use of Arataki Centre facilities after hours
  • Surfing related activities such as surfing clinics
  • Some events
  • Activities associated with filming sites in the city - such as tours of these sites

back to top

Objective Four: Visitor Satisfaction

Visitors to the West Coast are satisfied by their visit, and are given the opportunity for a range of experiences from "passive" recreation to participation in special interest activities, where appropriate and consistent with other objectives.

Discussion

This objective has been included in recognition of the importance of the West Coast area in meeting a wide range of recreational needs for Waitakere City residents - and for residents of the Auckland Region as a whole.

There are few actions associated with this objective at this point in time, however many of the actions listed under other objectives should increase the quality of the visitor experience. For example it is recognised under Objective 5: Infrastructure, that the Council should provide a level of infrastructure that contributes to the convenience and quality of the visitor experience. In addition, the increased focus on education should improve visitor satisfaction by giving people the opportunity to learn more about the area.

It is suggested that Objective 8: Monitoring, include monitoring of visitor satisfaction. This may highlight specific issues which need to be addressed in the future.

Policies, Tasks and Actions

• Prepare a public access strategy (already programmed for 2000/01) which includes the consideration of access to different parts of the West Coast for people with different levels of mobility. Issues such as locations suitable for wheelchair access and sealed access, will be considered. Any work on identifying "favourite places" should take this strategy into account.
• Review ways of increasing support (or advocating for more support) to surf lifesaving clubs as visitor numbers increase.
• Investigate ways of providing more information to visitors that will improve the quality of the visitor experience - this could include the use of "You Are Here" maps at locations within the West Coast area, and signs with directional information, information about surf-lifesaving operations, contact telephone numbers etc. The design, construction and location of signs should be coordinated so that they are attractive but minimise impacts on the visual amenity of the surrounding area.

back to top

Objective Five: Infrastructure

Priority is given to providing and upgrading infrastructure which assists in mitigating the adverse impacts of visitors, increases the quality of visitor experience, or fulfils an information or education role; rather than infrastructure that is designed for the primary purpose of increasing capacity to meet peak seasonal demand.

Discussion

The appropriate provision of infrastructure in an area such as the West Coast can be a complex issue. This is because providing infrastructure can assist in mitigating some environmental or social impacts - while exacerbating other impacts. At the same time not providing (or under-providing) infrastructure can have the same effect.

For example "under provision" of car parking may help limit visitor numbers but it can also encourage people to park illegally which can be a nuisance to residents. On the other hand extending car parking facilities to cope with peak summer demand may encourage more visitors and is also likely to have a negative impact on the amenity of the area. Providing more signs with visitor information can encourage people to behave appropriately but may also reduce visual amenity.

Of course most visitor-related infrastructure will also be used by residents - who may benefit from having a level of service higher than they would if there were no visitors.

From a visitor perspective infrastructure can be classified as follows:

• Infrastructure which acts as a drawcard to visitors by greatly enhancing the attractiveness of the area or the convenience of visiting an area. Roading improvements (such as road sealing) which significantly reduce travel time would be one example of such infrastructure.
• Infrastructure which enhances the convenience or the quality of the visitor experience once there - but is unlikely to be a major drawcard. Examples may include signage (both directional and informational), picnic tables, and marked walking trails. However, while each type of infrastructure on its own may not be a major drawcard a generally high level of visitor services may still have this effect, and may not be appropriate with certain wilderness areas.

In general this objective points to Council placing more priority on the second type of infrastructure, and providing this in a way that is consistent with maintaining the amenity of the area. However there may be cases where infrastructure in the first category is justified (such as a visitor's centre) if it makes a significant environmental or social contribution.

Policy, Tasks and Actions

• Routinely consult West Coast Communities and other key stakeholders, and take into account the relevant sections of the West Coast Plan, when making decisions about infrastructure .
• When considering upgrading of major infrastructure such as roads and carparking take into account safety issues, environmental issues, local communities requests, the impact on visitor experience and the potential for upgrading to act as a drawcard to more visitors. As a general rule infratructure that acts as a drawcard will be avoided unless there are other strong justifications for it - for example expanding car parking at North Piha to cater for the current overflow that is having negative impacts.
• Undertake more work to define the level of visitor facilities (such as toilets, rubbish bins, picnic tables, water fountains, beach access tracks) that will be provided in different parts of the West Coast. It is likely that some areas will be identified as suitable for basic facilities only - while others may justify a higher level of servicing.
• Investigate infrastructure requirements for "favourite places" (see Objective 2: Minimising Impacts).
• Discuss with Auckland Regional Council transport staff options for improving passenger services to the West Coast area - especially Piha.
• Investigate infrastructure requirements to support Objective 1: Education. These could include signs and information boards.
• Ensure that all infrastructure is provided in a way that takes into account the impact on the amenity of the area - and where possible enhances the amenity. Design, materials and location will all need to be considered. In addition signage needs to be coordinated in terms of these factors and consideration needs to be given to what is appropriate for each local community.
• Discuss with local communities additional signage requirements associated with the "Twin Coast Discovery Route." Signs to mark the Waitakere portion of this route are in the process of being installed. The route takes in Titirangi, the Scenic Drive (including Arataki) and Swanson. There is an issue of which, if any other locations should be signposted (as possible side-trips).

back to top

Objective Six: Profile

The West Coast is presented in visitor information, as part of the "Waitakere Experience" and the area's high natural values are emphasised.

Discussion

The West Coast area is frequently used in promotional material aimed at attracting tourists to Auckland or to New Zealand. For example one of the poster images for the New Zealand Tourism Board's "Pure New Zealand" global marketing campaign is of the Piano at Karekare Beach. The West Coast beaches are also profiled in a video shown on Air New Zealand on some inbound flights to Auckland.

In meeting this objective the Council and Enterprise Waitakere will play a much stronger role in influencing the way in which the area is presented. The West Coast and Waitakere Ranges will be set in the context of the "Waitakere experience" which includes wineries, orchards and arts and craft trails. While the West Coast will continue to receive some profile, careful selection of images would ensure that wilderness areas and individual beaches are not promoted.

The aim of this would be to encourage visitors from outside the Auckland Region to explore the City over a period of several days, while encouraging people from the Auckland region who already visit the West Coast, to also consider other activities or alternatives within Waitakere City.

Policy, Tasks and Actions

• Develop a "library" of West Coast images suitable for use in publications associated with the West Coast or Waitakere City. Waitakere City Council and the Enterprise Board will only use images that are part of this library, and will encourage other organisations to do the same. The images should be reflective of the area as a whole rather than specific locations - for example they will show views of beaches and water, and of Waitakere City set against the backdrop of the Waitakere Ranges. "Close-up" pictures of individual beaches and of wilderness or remote locations will, in general, be avoided.
• Target any profiling of the area towards Auckland Regional people as a first priority. People living in the Auckland Region make up the greatest number of visitors and profiling of the area, emphasising its natural values, should help increase people's respect for the area. In addition local people are an important source of visitor information for "out of Auckland" friends and relatives.
• Work with tourism media agencies, in-bound operators etc, to ensure that these agencies understand the image of the area that the Council would like to convey. This may include Enterprise Waitakere running famils, hosting media visits, or preparing written or video material.
• Enterprise Waitakere to develop the concept of the "Waitakere Experience" identifying a range of activities and locations throughout the city which could be part of this experience. This may involve using West Coast images (from the library) as icons symbolising Waitakere City.
•  

back to top

Objective Seven: Supporting Existing Operators

Waitakere City Council assists existing operators on the West Coast, or with a connection to the West Coast, to profile their activities and assist with the development of their businesses.

Discussion

Enterprise Waitakere already works with tourism operators and accommodation providers to help develop or market their enterprises. There is a high failure rate among small tourism operators (throughout the industry) for a number of reasons but particularly because the seasonal nature of their enterprises makes it difficult to earn a full-time living.

Small operators often have difficulty gaining access to marketing channels such as visitor information centers, and tourism booking agencies. There are also some benefits from being able to promote a range of complementary activities together.

While this objective can be seen as confirming current practice, business support should be more effective if undertaken alongside initiatives that include the West Coast in profiling Waitakere City (as a whole) as a tourism destination.

Policy, Tasks and Actions

• Undertake joint venture marketing of operators and their activities under a "Destination Waitakere" (or similar) banner, ensuring that the natural values of the West Coast and the City as a whole are emphasised.
• Encourage or require all operators whose products are being marketed to adopt the code of practice developed under Objective 1: Education.
• Review current marketing methods and investigate a range of new methods taking into account different target markets. Methods which should be considered include a publication and a web-site.
• Assist operators with the development of business plans and in undertaking feasibility studies.
• Provide education to operators about the tourism industry that will enable them to establish a sound basis for their enterprises. Develop a short series of statements from the West Coast Plan that will be included in this education.

back to top

Objective Eight: Monitoring

Indicators are developed and a monitoring programme established which provides better information about visitors to the West Coast and their effects and impacts in terms of the indicators.

Discussion

Very little is known about visitors to the West Coast except that a high proportion are from the Auckland Region, that a large percentage visit the area several times a year, and that most spend a few hours to a day in the area. This information is summarised in the Background Report. There are significant gaps in the information base - for example there is limited information about numbers of visitors and how this varies on a seasonal basis and at different times of the day. There is also little information about why people visit the area and what activities they engage in.

There are also gaps in information about how visitors are impacting on the area. While quite a lot is known about adverse environmental and social effects it is often not clear how, and how much visitors contribute to these adverse effects. This is partly because many impacts have not been quantified, and partly because not enough is known about visitors.

This objective involves putting in place a programme to fill these gaps. As more information becomes available it is quite likely that the strategy will need to be revised. Council may wish to investigate the possibility of entering into a partnership with the West Coast Liaison Group to develop this programme. This would enable community expertise to be utilised and the community to be kept involved. Te Kawerau a Maki may also be interested in playing an active role in relation to monitoring.

Policy, Tasks and Actions

• Using the information in the Background Report as a starting point, identify the most significant visitor related impacts (both beneficial and adverse). Once these have been agreed:
  • Identify the specific nature and cause of the impact where possible
  • Identify where the impact is occurring
  • Establish who is affected by the impact
  • Identify a method of measuring the impact - which may be quantitative or qualitative
  • Identify a target
  • Establish a monitoring programme to measure the baseline and progress towards the target

  Note: to ensure that this task is manageable the list of impacts should be limited to approximately twelve and should cover social, economic and environmental impacts. This may require summarising or combining some of the impacts identified in the Background Report.

• Develop a visitor information monitoring programme which enables Council to better understand visitor activity on the West Coast. This will involve a survey or surveys and should build on or link with existing survey work undertaken by Waitakere City Council and the Auckland Regional Council - for example Waitakere City Council traffic counts and Regional Council visitor satisfaction surveys.

  Specific information to be collected will depend on requirements for the previous task (monitoring of visitor impacts) but should include:

  • Numbers of visitors, at least at peak periods, and patterns of usage (seasonal, day of week and time of day). This should cover all the major visitor areas.
  • Where visitors are from.
  • Why they have chosen to come to the West Coast and what activities they engage in.
  • What they like and dislike about their visit.
  • How much money they spend in the area - and where.
• Review and update the Tourism Strategic Plan to reflect this Strategy.

back to top

Objective Nine: Partnerships

This strategy is implemented in partnership with some key stakeholders - including Auckland Regional Council Parks, Te Kawerau a Maki, tourism operators, West Coast communities and Tourism Auckland.

Discussion

A key theme throughout this Strategy has been the importance of working with others and developing partnerships to achieve the goal and objectives of the Strategy. Usually this will involve informal partnerships and/or working relationships that are established for specific projects. Sometimes it will require establishing more formal partnerships. This tasks and actions associated with this objective are focused on investigating and establishing the more formal relationships that may be required to implement the strategy.

Policy, Tasks and Actions

• Review and decide whether Council wishes to establish an ongoing role for the West Coast Liaison Group with respect to implementing this Strategy - in particular the monitoring aspects of the Strategy.
• Work with Te Kawerau a Maki to identify partnership actions (within the scope of this Strategy) that would contribute to education and monitoring and would help fulfil their aspirations to return to the area, provide employment for their people, and give effect to their kaitiakitanga role.
• Meet with the Auckland Regional Council operational and policy staff to discuss the strategy and identify the nature of the partnership between Waitakere City Council (including Enterprise Waitakere) and the Auckland Regional Council in relation to visitor issues. This should involve working together on developing actions for next year's annual plans.
• Identify any other formal partnerships that may be required or desirable in the future. This should be considered in the context of Council's wider tourism strategy. For example the concept of establishing a Waitakere City tourism organisation (particularly for operators) has been discussed in the past.

back to top

Draft West Coast Visitor Strategy Agenda Report

Purpose of the Report

A draft West Coast Visitor Strategy is attached for the Committee's consideration. It is recommended that options for consultation on this Strategy be brought back to the Committee's September meeting, following an initial assessment of the draft Strategy by the West Coast Plan Liaison Group on 16 August. This will take place at: Waitakere City Council's Human Resources Training Room which is in a building at 131 Lincoln Road, (behind the MacDonalds and BP Station). You enter through the sliding doors between the A&E Clinic and the chemist.

Background

During the 1999/2000 half yearly budget review, the Annual Plan Committee allocated surplus funds towards the completion of a West Coast Visitor Strategy. At its last meeting, the Community Facilities and Recreation Committee received a Background Report that discussed key issues associated with West Coast visitor activities, and several alternative scenarios for Council's approach to managing these issues. The Background Report provided the context for the draft West Coast Visitor Strategy, which is attached to this agenda.

In addition, at its last meeting the Committee resolved:

"That a report be brought back to the next meeting of this Committee…showing costings for options for consultation on the draft West Coast Visitor Strategy within the context of the West Coast Plan."

1860/2000

This was in response to a request for consultation from the West Coast Plan Liaison Group.

Because the budget for this project was allocated at the 1999/2000 half yearly review there is no further budget available in the 2000/2001 year. Accordingly, the Committee asked for advice on the costs of different options for consultation and how the 2000/2001 Annual Plan could be amended to provide for the consultation.

In addition, the Committee asked that the options for consultation reinforce the West Coast Plan and Liaison Group, and incorporate some Citywide consultation.

Finally, the Committee had been informed that the Background Report was to be discussed by the West Coast Plan Liaison Group at a meeting on 19 July. The results of this meeting, including a new recommended process for consultation, are outlined below.

Strategic Context

The West Coast

The West Coast and Waitakere Ranges are recognised as "Taonga" or treasures by diverse groups of people. Te Kawerau A Maki maintain a deep association with the area, despite being alienated from the pa sites, food gathering places, walkways, burial sites and sacred places that remain after hundreds of years. Other Aucklanders probably most value the significant natural recreation opportunities provided by the Coast and Waitakere ranges, and the "untamed" character of the coastal settlements, with Piha being a particular icon.

In addition, the ecology, landscape and geology of parts of the West Coast are of national importance according to the Auckland Regional Policy Statement. These include:

• The diversity of habitats provided by the wetlands, lakes, dunes and native forests in the Bethells/Te Henga area.
• The whole of Whatipu beach, for its remote wilderness character and shifting black iron sand, its landform, the pingao on the dunes, and its role as a habitat for several rare bird species.
• Volcanic geological features between Muriwai and Karekare, which are considered to be of national and international significance;
• The whole of the Waitakere Ranges is considered to be of national and international significance for the extent of forest cover, and the diversity of plant and animal life, including rare species.

Nevertheless, human interaction with the area has altered the West Coast, and it is likely that this interaction will increase with development and increased visitor numbers.

In light of this, in 1996 Waitakere City Council initiated a participative process to develop a strategic plan for the West Coast, for managing human interaction with the West Coast to achieve a shared vision for the future. A committed "Liaison Group" of community volunteers has met regularly over the last three years to develop a draft West Coast Plan. This is currently going through a process of consultation before its finalisation.

It is worth noting that the West Coast Plan Liaison Group consider visitor impacts to be the "singularly most important issue facing the West Coast". It is therefore hoped that the West Coast Plan and Liaison Group will provide significant useful direction on this issue for Council.

Economic Development and Tourism

Economic Development has been identified as the Council's top priority, to provide local employment opportunities to the City's young, ethnically diverse, predominantly low income population.

Tourism activities can make a significant contribution to economic growth by bringing in income from outside a given area. Tourism activities already make up a sizeable proportion of the world economy, and also comprise a growth sector. It is in this context that, in its 2000/2001 Annual Plan, the Council has provided $80,000 to Tourism Auckland and $210,000 to Enterprise Waitakere to undertake tourism promotion.

However, while international and domestic visitors are important to New Zealand and the Auckland Regional economy, Waitakere City as a whole currently benefits very little from tourism. A recent report published by McDermott Fairgray estimates that visitors spent $1,528 million in Auckland in 1999, generating 4.8% of regional GDP. Waitakere City received only 5% of this (and 5.8% of employment) so the contribution of tourism to the local economy is relatively small.

The Council has been reviewing the effectiveness of its "tourism spend". One issue is that the City currently receives little economic benefit from the activities of visitors to the West Coast, who instead have negative impacts on the area and require additional infrastructure expenditure.

This is partly because visitors to the West Coast are predominantly day-trippers from the Auckland region, who have no need to spend extra money on accommodation, travel and food in Waitakere City as part of their visit to the West Coast. There are several reasons for the small proportion of tourists, but in any event, there are very few facilities and activities for tourists to spend their money on while visiting the West Coast.

In addition, Enterprise Waitakere considers that it has been trying to market Waitakere City as a tourist destination "with one hand tied behind its back", because it has been directed to focus its promotion activities towards the more urban parts of the City only, while the West Coast Plan is being developed. Other parties, not subject to this constraint, have arguably benefited from using images of the West Coast to market tourism facilities elsewhere in the Auckland region.

It is likely that there is untapped potential for the City's wineries, arts and crafts, the Waitakere ranges and the West Coast to be "packaged" to increase the profile of Waitakere as a visitor destination, and increase the economic benefits accruing to the City. However, in the medium term the potential contribution of the West Coast to the local economy should not be overstated if the Council wishes to protect the things that the City's residents' value about the area. The recreation benefits of the West Coast are likely to remain much greater than the economic benefits of visitor activities.

Visitor Impacts

While the West Coast provides the City's residents with significant recreational benefits, and it may be possible to increase the economic benefits of visitor activities, currently visitors are more often associated with adverse environmental and social impacts on the area. These impacts include:

• Dune erosion and disturbance of bush environment;
• Threat to penguins and wildlife, especially from dogs;
• Shellfish depletion;
• Damage to waahi tapu (iwi sacred sites);
• Noise, loss of amenity and character and litter;
• Pressure on car parks and toilet facilities;
• Disruptive antisocial behaviour and petty crime, and
• Drownings.

Some parts of the West Coast are more affected than others, with Piha bearing the brunt of many of these impacts.

The number of visitors to the West Coast is likely to increase substantially in future. This is because the West Coast is already a major recreational destination for the Auckland Region - and the population of the region is predicted to double in the next 50 years. However, it appears there is some scope to both better manage the negative impacts and increase the economic benefit to the City.

Council's Role and Existing Policies

• Waitakere City Council's key activities with regard to the West Coast include:
• Providing infrastructure (roads, car parking, reserves, rubbish bins, toilets etc.);
• Regulating development and activities through the District Plan and by-laws;
• Levying rates and other funding mechanisms on property owners;
• Funding Enterprise Waitakere's tourism promotion efforts;
• Holding events;
• Monitoring and information provision;
• Support for community initiatives;
• Advocacy to other agencies such as the Auckland Regional Council.

The Council can influence the impacts of visitors through the way in which it undertakes all these activities. However, it cannot directly limit access to West Coast beaches or place limits on visitor numbers in general.

In making decisions about how it will undertake these actions, the Council must mediate between the diverse perspectives of different stakeholders, including West Coast residents, developers, visitors and tour operators.

Given this context, the draft West Coast Visitor Strategy has been developed within the guidelines of existing Council strategies and policies, including the Greenprint, Tourism Strategic Plan, District Plan and Reserve Management Plans. In addition, the draft Strategy has taken a lead from the draft West Coast Plan.

Draft Strategy

The Background Report, presented to the Committee at its July meeting, discussed six alternative policy scenarios for Council to manage visitor impacts in the future:

1. Special conservation area;

2. Status quo (neither encourage or discourage visitors);

3. Managed "nature based" tourism using existing facilities;

4. Managed "nature based tourism" with some additional facilities;

5. Maximise tourism development opportunities;

6. Actively discourage visitors.

The draft West Coast Visitor Strategy draws on aspects of all the scenarios, but probably reflects the detail of scenario 3 most strongly.

The draft Strategy comprises forty-seven recommended policies and actions for Council, organised around a single goal and nine objectives. The goal is:

"Waitakere City and West Coast communities benefit from the activities of visitors to the West Coast, to the extent that this is compatible with minimising the adverse impacts of visitors".

The objectives reflect aspects of this goal and different roles that the Council could play to achieve it:

1. Education

2. Minimising Impacts

3. New Economic Opportunities

4. Visitor Satisfaction

5. Infrastructure

6. Profile

7. Supporting Existing Operators

8. Monitoring

9. Partnerships

The emphasis of the draft Strategy is on improving the economic return to the City, and better managing the impacts, of current visitor activity, while maintaining the visitor experience. The Strategy does not aim to either increase the numbers of visitors to the West Coast or discourage visitors. Indeed, this is largely assumed to be outside the Council's control.

The Strategy does not prioritise between the different objectives, policies and actions. Neither are these policies and actions locally specific or costed yet. It is envisaged that, following consultation, a series of priority actions that could be included in the 2001/2002 Annual Plan and Long Term Financial Strategy will be presented to the Committee.

Issues

Consultation Options and the West Coast Plan Liaison Group

At its July meeting, the Committee requested information about options for "constrained" consultation on the draft West Coast Visitor Strategy, which would reinforce the West Coast Plan and Liaison Group and incorporate some Citywide consultation.

Options for consultation were discussed by the West Coast Plan Liaison Group on 19 July, when it met to discuss the Background Report. (Councillor Riddell attended this meeting). While the Liaison Group provided strong direction that the draft Strategy should go through "full and proper" consultation, the Group did not consider that it could be definitive about what this meant until it had seen the draft Strategy. Accordingly the following process is now recommended:

1. The West Coast Plan Liaison Group receive the draft Strategy at the same time as the Community Facilities and Recreation Committee

2. The Liaison Group meet on 16 August to evaluate the extent to which the draft West Coast Visitor Strategy is consistent with the West Coast Plan; and arising from this the preferred approach to consultation;

3. Options for consultation be presented to the Committee's September meeting, possibly incorporating a presentation from West Coast Plan Liaison Group representatives.

The Liaison Group indicated that if the draft Visitor Strategy is closely aligned to the West Coast Plan it is likely that in the Group's view, consultation requirements could be limited to the West Coast Liaison Group, a public meeting at Piha, and discussions with some specific groups such as the surf clubs (for example). This could be complemented by a Citywide consultation via the City News. However, should the Liaison Group consider that the draft Visitor Strategy diverges from the West Coast Plan significantly, the Group indicated that it would request much more comprehensive consultation with West Coast Communities.

Comparisons Between the West Coast Plan and Visitor Strategy

Those parts of the draft West Coast Visitor Strategy which deal with monitoring and minimising impacts, educating visitors and undertaking partnerships with other parties, most strongly give effect to the draft West Coast Plan. The parts that deal with visitor satisfaction and infrastructure are also consistent with the Plan. However, the West Coast Plan and Liaison Group do not place any priority on Council undertaking actions to support existing operators, profile the West Coast or promote new economic opportunities from visitors. Indeed, members of the West Coast Plan Liaison Group expressed the view that the recreation benefits of the West Coast are more important than the economic benefits, and that any "marketing" of the area by Council will increase visitor numbers when the area is already "full to capacity".

Another possible conflict that could emerge when the West Coast Plan Liaison Group considers the draft Visitor Strategy, is that the Strategy suggests that the Council consider directing visitors toward some areas rather than others through its provision of infrastructure and information.

This may not end up being consistent with the view expressed by Piha members of the Liaison Group, that the priority should be to manage the impacts of visitors at Piha.

Finally, some members of the West Coast Plan Liaison Group have suggested that the "Special Conservation Area" scenario in the Background Report is the solution to visitor issues. This scenario envisages an entirely separate governance arrangement for the Waitakere Ranges and West Coast. These governance arrangements have not been picked up in the draft Visitor Strategy.

The potential gaps between the draft West Coast Plan and draft Visitor Strategy may be resolved in the process of prioritising the objectives, policies and actions. It is suggested that the West Coast Plan Liaison Group provide feedback on priorities, at it's meeting to evaluate the draft Strategy on the 16th August.

This process will test the capacity of both the West Coast Plan and the Visitor Strategy to balance competing perspectives for the benefit of all stakeholders, including the West Coast itself.

Conclusion

A draft West Coast Visitor Strategy is attached for the consideration of the Committee. It is recommended that the West Coast Plan Liaison Group evaluate the draft Strategy within the context of the West Coast Plan, and provide feedback on preferred priorities and approaches to consultation. It is further recommended that information on options for consultation be brought back to the Committee in September.

Recommendations

1. That the information be received.

2. That the attached draft West Coast Visitor Strategy be approved, subject to changes requested by the Committee;

3. That options for consultation on this Strategy be brought back to the Committee's September meeting, following initial consideration of the draft Strategy by the West Coast Plan Liaison Group on 16 August.

Report prepared by: Tanya Perrott, Senior Analyst: Economic Policy.

back to top