Tourism at the glaciers
Fox Glacier, August 27, 2014
Heather Purdie
Stephen Espiner
Jude Wilson
Purdie, H., Anderson, B., Chinn, T., Owens, I., Mackintosh, A. and Lawson, W.
(2014): Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, New Zealand: historic length records.
Global and Planetary Change, 121:41-52.
15
Fox Glacier
Glacier Length (km)
14
13
Franz Josef Glacier
12
11
10
9
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
Year
2000
2010
2020
600
550
Elevation (m a.s.l.)
500
450
400
1987
350
2005
2008
300
2012
2013
250
200
1362200
2014
1362400
1362600
1362800
Easting (NZTM)
1363000
1363200
1363400
600
580
Elevation (m a.s.l.)
560
540
520
500
480
460
2008
440
2012
420
400
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Distance across glacier from true-right/north (m)
700
800
2013
2011
2009
2007
2005
2003
2001
1999
1997
1995
1993
1991
1989
1987
1985
1983
1981
1979
1977
Mean Departure from the ELA0 (m)
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
-50
-100
-150
-200
Year
Data from Willsman et al. (2014)
Research interest
• Understand how climate-induced change at the
glaciers might affect visitor behaviour
• Survey: The current visitor experience
• Visitor and visit
details
• Activities during visit
• Reasons for visiting
• Importance of the
glacier(s)
• Expectations and
satisfaction
• Implications of
climate change
Survey methods
• Two survey periods:
• December 2013-January
2014
• February 2014
• Sample of 500 visitors
Fox Glacier
village,
n=115, 23%
Fox Glacier car
park,
n=145, 29%
Franz Josef car
park,
n=140, 28%
Franz Josef
village,
n=100, 20%
Survey limitations
• A sample only – no way
to know how
representative they are
of all visitors
• Poor representation of
Asian visitors and tour
groups
• Data not picked up by
survey questions e.g.,
price consideration for
choosing activities,
weather impacts
Usual residence
100
94
95
90
80
81
77
Number
70
59
60
50
44
40
30
25
19
20
6
10
0
New
Australia
Zealand
UK
Germany
USA
Other
Europe
Asia
Other
Americas
Other
Age
35
29.2
30
Percentage
25
19.4
20
17
15
15
11.2
10
5
4.4
3.6
0.2
0
≤19 years 20-29 years 30-39 years 40-49 years 50-59 years 60-69 years 70-79 years 80+ years
Visit details
• Nights stayed
• 84% first visit
• Independent walk to final
barrier
• 39.6% 1 night
• 42.5% 2 nights
• Time at glaciers
Unsure,
n=1, 0%
More than 1
day, n=172,
34%
• Franz Josef n=233
• Fox Glacier n=203
Less than 4
hours, n=24,
5%
Half a day,
n=110,
22%
Full day,
n=193, 39%
• 51.8% (n=259) did a
commercial activity
• Over half (55.6%) of these
visitors also walked up
glacier valley
• 33.2% (n=166) did a flight
activity
Direction of travel
1% lived nearby
8% unknown
Other activities at the glacier
region
Other activites
Rafting
Horse trek
Quad bikes
Okarito
Sky dive
Bicycle hire
Maori performance
Kayaking
Bird watching
Wildlife centre
Gillespies Beach
Other bush walks
None of these activities
Hot pools
Lake Matheson
7
7
8
8
11
11
12
16
20
35
51
61
115
146
157
169
0
20
40
60
80
Number of respondents
100
120
140
160
Most memorable aspect of visit:
569 things reported
• 396 glacier-specific
• 87 specifically
mentioned flights
• 39 mentioned activities
• 173 non-glacier
• 135 related to natural
environment/scenery
views (e.g., waterfalls)
Importance of seeing the glacier
70
61.6
60
Percentage
50
40
30
18.2
20
10
6.8
1
1.2
1.2
Not at all
important
2
3
10
0
4
5
6
Very
important
Reasons for visiting: 3 highest and
3 lowest mean scores
Reason for visiting
Mean
To see a natural feature that may disappear in the future
6.01
To be close to nature
5.71
To view an easily accessible glacier
5.61
To experience a rainforest
4.34
To be with friends and family
4.16
To experience solitude
3.94
To see a natural feature that may
disappear in the future
48.8
50
45
Percentage
40
35
30
26.2
25
20
15
12
8
10
5
1.4
2.4
1.2
Not at all
important
2
3
0
4
5
6
Very
important
Glacier experience factors
• Size of the glacier
• 1=expected smaller; 7=expected bigger
• Look of the ice
• 1=expected dirtier; 7=expected cleaner
• How spectacular it was overall
• 1=expected it to be much less spectacular;
7=expected it to be much more spectacular
• Satisfaction with these three aspects
• 1=very dissatisfied; 7=very satisfied
Mean scores for glacier experience
factors
6
5.64
5.39
5.5
5.22
Mean scores
5
4.69
4.68
4.5
4.24
4
3.5
3
Expectation
Size of glacier
Satisfaction
Glacier ice
Overall (how spectacular)
Relationship between expectation
and satisfaction
6.5
6.15
Mean satisfaction score
6
5.72
5.5
5.7
5.68
5.55
5.51
5.12
5.22
5
4.77
4.5
4
Size of glacier (n=451)
expected worse
Look of ice (n=470)
as expected
expected better
Spectacular (n=473)
Images of the glaciers
• 67% (n=337) saw images before their visit
• How accurate were these images?
25
20.8
19
20
Percentgae
16.3
15
13.1
8.9
10
5
17.5
4.5
0
Not accurate
at all
2
3
4
5
6
Very
accurate
Pre-visit information sources
What did you
expect from your
glacier visit?
• Getting close to the
glacier
• Number of people
• Peacefulness in the
valley
• Interpretation and
information
• Facilities in the glacier
valley
Mean score
• 5 glacier visit factors
6
5.5
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
5.49
3.98 4.1
4.46 4.32
Expectation
5.19 5.3 5.3
5.59
3.98
Satisfaction
Getting close to glacier
Number of people
Peacefulness
Interpretation & information
Facilities in glacier valley
Satisfaction with interpretation and
information (commercial vs noncommercial activities)
35
31.7
30
25.9
23.7
Percentage
25
22.4
20.3
20
17.8
14.3
15
10
8.3
6.6
5
1.2
2.7
2.1
1.7
0
Commercial activity
Very dissatisfied
2
3
4
5
6
No commercial activity
Very satisfied
21.6
Climate change and the glaciers
• 73.6% agreed climate
change was ‘definitely
happening’
Fluctuate/stay
the same,
n=38, 7%
Don't
know/unsure,
n=39, 8%
Get bigger,
n=4, 1%
• What do you think will
happen to the glaciers
over the next 20 years?
Get smaller,
n=419, 84%
If the glacier was NOT easily accessible by foot
would you be more likely to take a flight
onto/over the glacier?
40
34.2
35
Percentage
30
25
21.1
20
14.3
15
11.1
10
8
5.3
5.9
3
4
5
0
No, definitely
not
2
5
6
Yes, definitely
If you knew the ONLY way to see the glacier
was by helicopter would you have visited the
glacier region?
40
35.7
35
30
Percentage
25
20
15
15.2
15
10.5
8.4
10
7
8.4
5
0
No, definitely
not
2
3
4
5
6
Yes,
definitely
Would you have visited the glacier region if
you knew you might not be able to see the
glacier?
25
22
Percentage
20
15
11.6
12
2
3
15.3
14.3
14.1
5
6
10.8
10
5
0
No, definitely
not
4
Yes, definitely
If you had not been able to see a glacier here,
would you go elsewhere to see one?
40
37.5
35
Percentage
30
25
20
17.9
14.4
15
10.7
10
7.8
7
4.5
5
0
No, definitely
not
2
3
4
5
6
Yes, definitely
Implications and conclusions
• Physical changes in both glaciers continue to
present challenges for tourism
• Access
• Aesthetics
• Hazard management
• Challenges not limited to climate – nor necessarily
specific to the location
• Region has a history of being adaptive and
resourceful
• Experience in meeting environmental challenges
Implications and conclusions
• Seeing the glacier/s very important
• Part of New Zealand ‘tour’
• Reason for visiting
• Other activities visible but secondary
• Not much time in region
• Glacier experience
• Matched expectations – glacier and visit experience
• Overall, satisfied with current glacier experiences
Implications and conclusions
• 27% of visitors reported seeing ‘inaccurate’ images of
the glacier – contributed to unrealistic expectations
• Also relevant for ‘crowding’, ‘natural quiet’ etc
• Some ability to influence
• Opportunities to capitalise on physical changes
(including reduced access / visibility)?
• Differentiated experiences (valley / ice)
• Climate change education / interpretation
• Valley floor access options and issues
• Importance of diversification