Between Sustainability and Resilience: planning destination management of coastal areas in South Island, New Zealand

Abstract

This research approaches destination management in coastal territories from a holistic and sustainable approach, based on the understanding of sustainability as an issue that must consider economic, host, visitors and natural environments. Special attention is drawn towards the need for a holistic Destination Management Plan with a focus on sustainability by incorporating resilience into tourism management. In particular, tourism destination management is discussed in the context of the South Island, New Zealand. This descriptive study contributes to sustainable tourism development in the region, taking into account its pure landscapes, fragile infrastructure and its environmental dependence. The paper argues that the durability of the tourism sector is reliant upon the inter-related economic, host, visitor and environmental sustainability landscapes