Research Note: Optimizing Economic Returns from Protected Area Tourism — Tourism-Related Income and Expenditure Trends of the Department of Conservation, New Zealand

Abstract

Increasing visitor numbers have been identified as a contributor to the financial stress experienced by many protected area management agencies. This research note reports on a study of the income and expenditure of the Department of Conservation in New Zealand – the country's protected area manager and arguably its largest tourist operator. Income and expenditure data are analysed in relation to visitation to protected areas in New Zealand for the ten-year period 1992–2002. The findings reveal that income from tourism-related sources is very low, despite the increasing volumes of visitors. An argument is presented for enhancing visitor-sourced income, particularly from international visitors.