Director | Research Associate
Asif Hussain
About Asif.
Asif Hussain, PhD, is an independent strategic consultant who specialises in infrastructure development, tourism and environmental economics. He is an Indigenous person and passionate advocate for community well-being and has led innovative, transformative and life-changing outcomes for businesses and communities alike.
A short bio.
Asif is passionate about community well-being and believes that collective community resilience is vital to ensure long-term sustainability. His understanding of sustainability and resilience as a concept and a phenomenon served as a core to the longevity of Indigenous nations and cultures across the globe. He believes that Indigenous communities and their ancestor's farsightedness, planning, and binding understanding of a shared future laid the foundation of the concept of sustainability and resilience. These founding principles of collaboration, joint planning, and collective resilience were made possible by identifying strengths and diverse skills, which enabled communities to move forward in times of crisis for collective well-being.
As an Indigenous person, he deeply understands sustainability and resilience, which are vital to the longevity of Indigenous cultures globally. Asif is passionate advocate for community well-being, and his roles as a social entrepreneur, social worker, and philanthropist have led to transformative, life-changing outcomes for individuals, businesses and communities globally.
His career has focused on developing innovative solutions and leading international community projects, earning him recognition through prestigious awards such as the Fulbright scholarship. Asif’s unique perspective, rooted in his ancestral ties spanning an impressive 30,000 to 50,000 years to the Gilgit-Baltistan region, sets him apart. This area, at the crossroads of the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindukush, has experienced the loss of Indigenous traditions and knowledge, inspiring Asif to study the impacts of transport infrastructure on isolated Indigenous communities. Asif’s doctoral research focused on China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ and its effects on tourism-based livelihoods in remote regions and how transport infrastructure development has impacted community resilience, sustainability and vulnerabilities.
With a background in economics, political science, and environmental economics, Asif brings a multidisciplinary approach to his work. His dedication to empowering marginalised communities, revitalising Indigenous knowledge, and promoting sustainable development makes him a driving force for positive change and a leader in building a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future.
Selected Past Projects
Latest Blog Posts
Freshwater National Direction in New Zealand: Navigating Change for People, Economy and Environment
Freshwater National Direction in New ZealandWhy national direction mattersWhat the 2025 consultation was aboutWhat people told the governmentA new policy direction with nuanceWhat this means for communities and businessesLooking ahead Freshwater National Direction in...
Interest rate cycles, economic hype, and the growing fragility of business decision-making
Volatility changes behaviour, not just costsDebt magnifies vulnerability across the economyThe role of banking narratives and opacityShort-term signals crowd out long-term resilienceGlobal uncertainty compounds the problemReframing interest rates as context, not...
How Tourism Is Undermining Destination Survival and Resilience in 2026: A deep evidence-based analysis
1. Degradation of Natural Systems and Loss of Ecological ResilienceTourism as a driver of ecosystem pressureExceeding ecological carrying capacityClimate change amplification2. Social Pressure, Resident Wellbeing and Loss of Social LicenceDeclining quality of...
New Zealand Tourism Outlook 2026-2027: What Official Data Tells Us About the Next 12 Months
IntroductionWhere New Zealand Tourism Stands TodayInternational Visitor Arrivals: Recovery, Not ReboundVisitor Spend Is Outpacing Visitor NumbersAccommodation Data Signals Capacity Pressures, Not ShortagesHow Tourism Demand Is ChangingShifts in Source MarketsPolicy...
Sustainable Tourism in New Zealand: From Global Trends to Regenerative Practice
Introduction: Sustainable Tourism in New Zealand: From Global Trends to Regenerative PracticeGlobal Trends Shaping Sustainable Tourism1. Shift towards responsible and slow travel2. Technology and digital sustainability tools3. Growing importance of carbon-neutral and...
