What is the TSC?

Our vision is Leading the World in Sustainable Tourism - Toitū te taiao, toitū te tāpoi. E kōkiri ana e Aotearoa. To deliver on this, we must grow an industry which delivers high quality experiences for both domestic and international visitors while having a positive impact on local communities, contributing to the restoration and protection of our natural environment, and rebuilding the economic sustainability of the sector. 

The TSC was developed in 2017 by Tourism Industry Aotearoa, the voice of New Zealand's tourism industry. We are inviting every New Zealand tourism business to join us on this sustainability journey.  

What

The Tourism Sustainability Commitment aims to ensure economic, environmental and social sustainability becomes a genuine ethical underpinning of our industry. 

Developed by industry for industry, it sets out 12 Commitments that individual businesses can achieve to progress our industry towards our vision of leading the world in sustainable tourism.

Who

Any New Zealand tourism business or organisation can sign up to the Commitment. If you're a TIA member, the TSC is part of your membership. There is also an opportunity for organisations and businesses outside tourism to come on board as endorsers.

The aim is for every tourism business in New Zealand to commit to operating sustainably by 2025. The greater the buy-in, the more powerful it will be.

To sign up or for more information email info@tia.org.nz

Why

Our vision is for a tourism industry that delivers strongly and positively for Aotearoa New Zealand, our people, our economy, and our environment. This is an exciting future where tourism takes on the challenges ahead while always providing world-class visitor experiences and wide benefits for New Zealanders. The central premise of this Tourism 2050 Blueprint is balanced growth, where tourism is a flourishing and growing industry that contributes to people, place and culture.  

Sustainable tourism is important to our industry, our economy and our communities. Our industry relies on our natural environment and welcoming, friendly people. A sustainable tourism industry generates great jobs, enhances the environment and responsibly addresses issues as they arise. That makes for a pretty big constituency of interested parties. At the top of this list are our communities that actually host our visitors. Also, our visitors have expectations that our industry is acting sustainably, and there is considerable risk if we don’t deliver to these expectations.  

Testimonials

Click here to read what industry leaders have to say. 

Project Team

The Commitment was developed by industry for industry.

TIA led the project with the support of an external reference group. We also talked with a range of other stakeholders and achieved wider industry input through consultation and workshops.

Thanks to the Reference Group:

Air New Zealand
Department of Conservation
Discover Wanaka
Griffith University
Real Journeys
Tourism Holdings Ltd
Tourism New Zealand 
Whale Watch Kaikoura 
Ziptrek Ecotours