Trust ready to ‘make waves’ with tourism

Enriching and preserving vibrancy in small towns, building relationships with residents, and making sure tourism adds more than just economic value is all part of the plan for Destination Hauraki Coromandel.
The trust – funded by Thames-Coromandel and Hauraki district councils to promote the rohe as a visitor destination – has released its draft management plan.
In it, the trust states its intention to create a “positive future for Hauraki Coromandel, where tourism gives more than it takes”.
It has established four plans of action: to work together as a coalition; guide visitation; become net positive; and enrich communities.
It has also listed transformational projects, localised projects, and town projects which will help achieve its vision.
“Most people we asked felt that visitors are good for Hauraki Coromandel, but everyone agreed that tourism must go beyond merely doing no harm,” general manager Hadley Dryden said. “It must evolve to give more than it takes – a net positive future for our environment, society, and people.”
One of the plan’s main goals is to enrich and preserve vibrancy in the district’s small towns. To do this, the trust will involve residents in tourism-related decisions and prioritise initiatives
that allow the preservation of smalltown character.
Long-term, aspirational projects include sports venues/a stadium for Hauraki Coromandel; a Ngatea visitor kiosk and street furniture; and a Grahamstown heritage precinct development.
The trust also wants to support the development of experiences in the medium-term, such as the Pūkorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre, the Paeroa Historical Maritime Park, and mountain bike trails around the rohe [area].
“We listened to how locals really feel about the future of tourism in their town, and their aspirations for what tourism can become… There were many ideas for work to be done on all scales – region-wide, localised and town-based – but the projects in this plan surfaced time and again,” Hadley said. “So that’s where we will start, with this plan and these actions.”
Hadley and his team are now encouraging people to read the draft management plan and provide feedback through an online survey. He stressed that the power for change lay within locals.
“Consultation is not about making sure everyone gets what they want, and it is not about creating a grand, unworkable, compromise, but we do need your assessment,” he said.
“There are many projects that are already funded and underway – the repair and ongoing sustainability of our roads being the giant undertaking. This plan looks beyond what we know and requires us to commit to making decisions that truly lead to change.”
DETAILS: To read the plan and provide feedback, visit www.thecoromandel.com and click under the ‘Destination Management’ tab.