Maori-based tourism in Rotorua : perceptions of place by domestic visitors
journal contribution
posted on 2017-12-06, 00:00authored byC Ryan, S Pike
This paper reports findings from a survey of 763 Auckland residents. The research examined attitudes towards the resort town of Rotorua as a short-break destination with specific reference to the role that Maori culture plays in the formation of perceptions of Rotorua. The Te Arawa Maori people have been closely associated with tourism for over 140 years and this is recognised by the domestic market. However, the Maori component of Rotorua is found not to be an attraction. Rather, tourists are drawn to other facets of the product. While this is evidence for the fact that Rotorua is a multi-use product in tourism, given the role that travel is supposed to play in bridging gaps between cultures, tourism seems to be failing in this respect. It is suggested that an emphasis upon 'traditional authenticities' aimed at certain overseas segments misses the contemporary vibrant nature of Maori music and dance performance that might in fact have a wider appeal, including the domestic tourism market.
Funding
Category 1 - Australian Competitive Grants (this includes ARC, NHMRC)
History
Volume
11
Issue
4
Start Page
307
End Page
321
Number of Pages
15
ISSN
0966-9582
Location
Clevedon, England
Publisher
Channel View Publications
Language
en-aus
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Open Access
No
External Author Affiliations
Faculty of Business and Law; TBA Research Institute; University of Waikato;