To The Raglan Chronicle
While the adversity of COVID-19 may have afflicted the tourism industry, there is no doubt that a hopeful recovery will arrive. Furthermore, with well-deserved additions such as the $2.5 million upgrade to the famous Raglan Wharf, there is no doubt that tourism will flourish again in our town. But while tourists bring money to the many hard working local businesses, they also bring an environmental strain to our lovely town. This is why I am writing regarding the publication of a survey in your online platform of The Raglan Chronicle, a survey which can help eliminate the environmental stress from our community. (Click this link to access the survey.)
This survey is part of a wider research study for the Graduate Diploma in Destination Management programme at the University of Waikato, being conducted under the supervision of Prof. Chris Ryan. This research is associated with the work undertaken by Waikato University as part of its United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) initiatives within the International Network for Sustainable Tourism (INSTO). The primary purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of Raglan residents’ view on the effects tourism has on the waste accumulation. The study therefore has potential to improve waste management in the Raglan community.
Two weeks ago, we shared a link to a survey on the Raglan Facebook page. We have received a few responses which have provided us with some very useful data. However, we have not reached our expected number of participants. We hope that by the link to the survey going up on your website it will have the chance of reaching a wider base, helping us collect more results. Your help will therefore provide us with the data needed to improve sustainability in the tourism sector within Raglan and improve the quality of waste management.
Participation in this research is voluntary and anonymous and any responses will remain confidential. The questionnaire itself should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. If you have any questions or need more details about this research, please contact me, Tracey Cornes (TC164@students.waikato.ac.nz) or my supervisor Chris Ryan (chris.ryan@waikato.ac.nz).
Raglan is a beautiful place. Whether you are a surfer, waking up early to jam the waves, or a family enjoying the warm beach together, Raglan’s environment and therefore its environmental protection are crucial. This is why we need to keep such a wonderful place pristine and enjoyable for everyone. Understanding the effect tourism has on waste generation helps construct a new waste management framework. Therefore, your help in publishing the survey will help keep Raglan beautiful, and it will help Raglan stay Raglan.
Finally, if you would like us to write a short article on the importance of the relationship between tourism, Raglan and issues like waste management, Airbnb etc, we would be happy to do this.
Kind regards
Tracey Cornes
Click this link to access the survey.
