A new report shows that Southlanders continue to back the region’s tourism industry, with 93% saying they’ve personally benefitted from it and want to see it thrive in a way that works for their communities.
Views on Tourism: Great South 2025, released by regional development agency Great South, captures the latest insights into how residents feel about tourism across Murihiku Southland.
The report, which had been conducted by independent research company Angus and Associates, show that Southlanders strongly value tourism’s contribution to local jobs, businesses and cultural vibrancy, while also recognising the importance of managing growth carefully. The report provides a clear direction for how tourism can continue to support communities and protect the qualities that make the region special.
93% of locals reported personal benefits from tourism, well above the national average of 82%. These include employment opportunities, greater support for local businesses and a stronger sense of regional identity.
Tourism Approval Rating (TAR) measures how positively residents view the impacts of tourism in their region, using a score from -100 to +100, where anything below zero signals disapproval. Murihiku Southland’s overall TAR score of 47 shows the community accepts tourism, closely matching the international TAR score of 48, which is also the national average.
Residents view domestic tourism more favourably, with a TAR of 64, well above the national average of 58, which indicates strong approval of domestic tourism in the region
Residents shared a range of practical ideas to manage tourism related pressures. These included improvements to infrastructure and signage, clearer regulations for rental vehicles, upgraded recycling and waste systems and strengthened freedom camping rules.
Looking to the future, Southlanders would like to see tourism continue to grow in ways that benefited their communities.
38% of respondents said the top priority should be investment in community infrastructure, while 28% wanted more focus on local employment opportunities.
Others supported attracting more domestic visitors, encouraging travel beyond key hotspots and appealing to higher value travellers.
Views on Tourism: Great South 2025 is part of Great South’s ongoing commitment to community led destination development and can be viewed below.
