Tourism Adaptation Roadmap June 2022 Progress Update
What we have done so far
Our second month into the project has been a busy one, having kicked off our first of five technical expert workshops.
We had 24 technical experts across the tourism sector join the PwC facilitated virtual workshop on the 3rd of May to collaboratively brainstorm the climate change risks for the sector. It was great to see a wide range of experts across the tourism value chain, enabling us to identify a range of climate change risks across the tourism supply chain.
The TEG created a long list of transitional and physical risks. We next prioritised the top four risks in each category to the sector. The voting session allowed us to think critically about the most important climate change risks for our tourism value chain.
We then brought the Leadership Group together to feedback the results from the first TEG workshop. They had an opportunity to debate the results and test the relevance of the risks identified. From the top four risks, the LG selected the single most significant transition and physical risk for use in the scenario analysis
The most significant physical risk was agreed as "extreme weather events impacts natural capital and infrastructure and the attractiveness of Aotearoa New Zealand as a destination for visitors (international and domestic)."
The most significant transition risk was agreed as "regulatory burden impacts operating costs and affordability of travel."
The Leadership Group were also tasked with selecting at least three scenarios upon which to build the climate change scenario analysis at the upcoming TEG workshop on June 7th, and selected the following scenarios to be developed: disorderly (low physical and high transition risk); desirable (low transition and low physical risk - the ideal scenario); hothouse (low transition and high physical risk).
We then fed back the outcomes from these hui to the co-chairs for endorsement of the two most significant risks identified for use in building the scenarios. In addition, they also agreed to develop a fourth scenario too little too late (high physical and high transition risk). The co-chairs felt this was also an important pathway to consider and needed to be included in our workstream.
It has been fantastic to witness the diversity of thinking across the working groups, which absolutely enriches the kaupapa and outcomes being progressed in this project.
Our selected scenarios and priority transitional and physical risks for the tourism sector
Development of a te ao Māori framework for the workstream
In co-designing an adaptation roadmap for the tourism sector, it is critical to interweave a mātauranga Māori perspective into the decision-making: one that embodies te taiao. We are excited that the co-chairs are leading an away-day, an immersion in nature at Te Māra a Tāne - Zelandia in Wellington, with the Leadership Group and Secretariat to co-create a te ao Māori framework for the project. More on te taiao to follow in June - watch this space!
The Secretariat is looking forward to an exciting and busy month ahead - see below for key upcoming dates.
Tuesday 7th June: Technical Expert Group TEG workshop on scenario analysis
Thursday 9th June: Co-chairs meeting (#6)
Thursday 23rd June: Co-chairs meeting (#7); Leadership Group meeting (#3)
Tuesday 5th July: Technical Expert Group TEG workshop on impact analysis