A representative sample of 300 people took part in the survey between August 2020 and January 2021, ranking residents’ views on tourism on a six-point scale.
Dunedin residents’ approval for international tourism received the third-lowest ranking, indicating limited acceptance.
Domestic tourism fared far better, hitting the second-highest ranking of approval.
There was general acceptance of the value of international tourism, with 87% of residents saying it was good for New Zealand and 84% saying it was good for the region.
Views were less positive on the impacts of tourism, with 54% of respondents saying international visitors put too much pressure on the country and 44% saying pressure on the region was too great.
The negative impacts most often cited were more litter and waste generation, greater difficulty finding a car park, and damage to the natural environment.
The survey was one of 15 projects Enterprise Dunedin funded with money from the Government’s Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme.
Results of the survey have been shared with consultants rewriting the Dunedin destination plan.
