Green Policies Beyond Borders: What New Zealand Can Learn About Sustainable Tourism from Spatial Spillover Effects

by | Jan 26, 2026 | Awareness, Development, Domestic Tourists, Economy, Environment, International Tourists, Marketing, News, Planning, Policy, Regenerative Tourism, Research, Resilience, Sustainability, Tourism, Tourism Data Overview, Tourist Behaviour

Sustainable Tourism in New Zealand: How Environmental Policies Shape Tourism Across Regions

Introduction: Green Policies Beyond Borders: What New Zealand Can Learn About Sustainable Tourism from Spatial Spillover Effects

Environmental sustainability policies are often designed at local or national levels, yet tourism systems rarely respect administrative boundaries. Tourists move across regions, ecosystems and communities, carrying with them the effects of environmental policy decisions made elsewhere.

Recent research shows that environmental policies can influence tourism flows not only within a region but also across neighbouring regions. This phenomenon, known as spatial spillover effects, has major implications for tourism governance and sustainable development.

A recent academic study examining Italian provinces found that both public and corporate sustainability initiatives significantly affect tourism demand, with private sector actions having particularly strong direct impacts and broader regional spillovers.

For New Zealand, where tourism is deeply interconnected across regions and ecosystems, these findings raise important questions: How do sustainability policies in one region influence tourism patterns elsewhere? And how can coordinated environmental policy strengthen resilient and regenerative tourism systems?

This article explores these questions and outlines what spatial spillover effects mean for sustainable tourism in New Zealand.

Understanding spatial spillover effects in tourism

Spatial spillover effects occur when policies or actions in one region influence outcomes in neighbouring areas. In tourism, this means that environmental initiatives implemented in one destination can attract visitors not only locally but also to nearby regions.

The study shows that corporate-led initiatives such as eco-certifications and green investments have a strong direct impact on tourism flows, while both public and private sustainability measures generate significant positive spillovers across regions.

This finding challenges the traditional assumption that tourism policy impacts are confined within local boundaries. Instead, tourism operates as a networked system where environmental governance in one place can reshape visitor behaviour across entire regions.

Why this matters for New Zealand tourism

New Zealand’s tourism landscape is inherently spatial. Visitors often travel across multiple regions during a single trip, moving from cities to national parks, coastal areas and rural communities.

This means that environmental policies in one region can influence tourism demand in others.

For example:

  • Strong conservation policies in national parks may increase visitor flows to surrounding communities.
  • Eco-certification of tourism operators in one region can enhance the sustainability reputation of neighbouring destinations.
  • Infrastructure and climate policies in major gateways such as Auckland or Christchurch can shape travel patterns nationwide.

The spatial nature of tourism suggests that isolated sustainability initiatives are insufficient. New Zealand requires coordinated, cross-regional strategies to maximise the benefits of environmental policy.

Public versus private sustainability initiatives

The research highlights an important distinction between public and corporate sustainability initiatives.

Corporate-led initiatives, such as environmental certifications and green investments, were found to exert stronger direct effects on tourism demand than public policies.

This suggests that tourists respond more immediately to visible sustainability practices implemented by businesses.

However, public policies play a critical role in creating the conditions for systemic sustainability. Together, public and private initiatives generate regional spillover effects that amplify their impact.

In New Zealand, this dynamic is evident in initiatives such as:

  • Tourism operators adopting carbon reduction strategies
  • Government-led climate and biodiversity policies
  • Regional destination management plans
  • Māori-led sustainability frameworks grounded in kaitiakitanga (guardianship)

Understanding how these initiatives interact across regions is essential for designing effective tourism governance.

The case for coordinated sustainability policy in New Zealand

The study emphasises the importance of coordinated environmental policies across regions to foster sustainable tourism development.

For New Zealand, this implies three strategic priorities.

1) Moving beyond localised sustainability initiatives

Many sustainability initiatives in tourism are implemented at the destination or organisational level. While valuable, these efforts often lack integration across regions.

A spatial approach to tourism policy would align environmental strategies across regions, enabling cumulative benefits rather than isolated impacts.

2) Strengthening tourism intelligence and data integration

Spatial spillover effects cannot be managed without robust data systems.

New Zealand needs integrated tourism intelligence frameworks that combine:

  • Environmental data
  • Visitor flows and mobility patterns
  • Economic impacts
  • Community wellbeing indicators

Such frameworks can support evidence-based decision-making and help policymakers anticipate unintended consequences of sustainability policies.

3) Embedding resilience and regenerative principles

The research suggests that sustainability policies can generate positive feedback loops across regions.

This insight aligns with regenerative tourism, which emphasises systemic transformation rather than incremental improvements.

By embedding resilience and regeneration into tourism governance, New Zealand can create interconnected tourism systems that enhance ecological and social outcomes across regions.

Implications for regional development in New Zealand

Spatial spillover effects have significant implications for regional development.

Regions that invest in sustainability may not capture all the benefits locally, as tourists may spread to neighbouring areas. This raises questions about fairness, funding and governance.

To address this, New Zealand could explore:

  • Regional collaboration frameworks
  • Shared funding models for conservation and infrastructure
  • Cross-regional destination management strategies

Such approaches would ensure that sustainability investments are rewarded across the tourism system rather than concentrated in a single region.

Towards a systems-based model of sustainable tourism

The key insight from the research is that tourism sustainability cannot be achieved through isolated actions. Tourism operates as a spatially interconnected system where environmental policies generate ripple effects across regions.

For New Zealand, this means rethinking tourism governance from a systems perspective.

A systems-based model would:

  • Align national climate and biodiversity policies with regional tourism strategies
  • Integrate public and private sustainability initiatives
  • Use spatial data to guide policy decisions
  • Prioritise resilience and regenerative outcomes

This approach could position New Zealand as a global leader in sustainable tourism governance.

Conclusion

The research on spatial spillover effects in tourism provides a powerful lens for understanding the relationship between environmental policy and tourism flows.

For New Zealand, the lesson is clear: sustainable tourism is not a local challenge but a spatial and systemic one.

By embracing coordinated environmental policy, integrated data frameworks and regenerative tourism principles, New Zealand can build a tourism system that strengthens both ecosystems and communities across regions.

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