NZ towns, cities urged to follow Kaikoura’s lead

November 24, 2004

Australian leader urges NZ towns, cities to follow Kaikoura’s lead

New Zealand towns and cities should follow Kaikoura down the sustainable tourism path, an Australian environmental tourism leader said today.

Green Globe Asia Pacific chairman Sir Frank Moore presented Kaikoura with a Green Globe certificate in Kaikoura last night.

Kaikoura is the first full township in the world to gain Green Globe status.

The South Island tourist resort earned its environmental certificate by strongly managing environmental matters, while helping residents and tourists.

Sir Frank today urged other towns and cities in New Zealand and Australia to follow Kaikoura’s example. ``I would like to ask other towns and cities to join us in endeavouring to provide sustainable tourism and help protect the environment we live in.’’

He said no other town in New Zealand had taken such a forward looking approach to sustainable tourism.

Tourism Minister Mark Burton praised the Kaikoura community last night for looking after its environment in the face of substantially increasing tourist numbers.

New Zealand tourism will be able to showcase Kaikoura to the world as an example of the country’s commitment to protecting the natural environment and offering a special natural tourist experience.

The Green Globe certificate provides the district with a distinct competitive advantage both within New Zealand and internationally, Lincoln University professor David Simmons said.

Kaikoura has been under environmental scrutiny for two years ago to prove its commitment.

The town had to adopt zero waste and look at energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, water consumption, solid waste production, resource conservation, biodiversity, waterway quality, and travel and tourism to prove its sustainable approach.

No other town in the world has earned Green Globe certification though the Bali Tourist Corporation - a group of hotels - achieved the status recently.

Green Globe was established by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) following the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. Kaikoura will be hosting the 2005 international zero waste conference in New Zealand next April.

A total of 1.4 million people visited the South Island whale-watching resort of Kaikoura last year. The town has just 3483 residents and tourist numbers are rising.

ENDS

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