Monorail proposal conflicts with NZ tourism brand
Monorail proposal conflicts with NZ tourism
brand
July 21,
2013
A plan for a 41 kilometre monorail
from Queenstown to Milford Sound conflicts with what the New
Zealand tourism brand stands for in the international and
domestic markets, a University of Canterbury tourism expert
says.
The Department of Conservation has been
warned proposals to construct a monorail to Milford Sound
could threaten the region’s world heritage park
status.
UC’s Dr Girish Prayag says the very
essence of world heritage status conferred to an area, place
or region means strong conservation and preservation issues
are in place. He understands the need to make Milford Sound
more accessible to visitors but says it goes against the
pristine image the region has protected for so
long.
``This conflict is not uncommon to world
heritage sites. There is always the issue of whether
economic imperatives will triumph over heritage
conservation.
``The monorail plan detracts from
the clean and green image that New Zealand is selling
abroad. When you focus your marketing on the pristine
environment the destination offers, people want to come and
see, especially from emerging markets.
``When more
people come to see, the infrastructure has to follow.
Inevitably, economic benefits will take priority over
conservation issues, especially with New Zealand tourism
growth stagnating.
``A monorail would
dramatically change the landscape of the region which
includes the Routeburn track. In fact, it could be an oddity
in the landscape, what we call visual pollution. As for the
environmental pollution, I am sure benefits against the cost
have been weighed up.’’
The Fiordland National
Park was awarded the world heritage status by the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO) which has removed world heritage site status from
its list before, Dr Prayag says.
If the monorail is
approved, the damage to the area, to the reputation of New
Zealand in matters of conservation and the overall image of
the country would not bare thinking about, he
says.
``Tourism will take a severe blow if we get
stripped of World Heritage site status. It’s not a
question of what other sites around the world are doing or
have proposed as visitor facilities, but more about what we
want this country and its tourism industry to stand for, the
values we want our children to appreciate.
``We
want this generation and future ones to be able to walk the
Routeburn Track with the same feeling as we do today. This
is one of the few remaining magical places without a
monorail with loads of tourists.’’
A hearing
commissioner is expected to produce a report on the monorail
project later this
year.
ENDS