Country: New Zealand

Organization: Organic Explorer New Zealand

Year the initiative began: 2007

Project Website: www.organicexplorer.co.nz

Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions:

• Main barrier addressed: Corporate monolithic approach to tourism
• Main insight addressed: Market authenticity

What is the goal of your innovation?
Promoting cultural and economic sustainability by bringing together eco-friendly tourism operators, organic food outlets and indigenous communities with independent travelers.

How does your approach support or embody geotourism?
Organic Explorer is surprisingly New Zealand’s first and only tourism website and guide book devoted exclusively to eco-friendly places to stay, organic cafes, food supplies and farmers markets, Maori cultural tourism and sustainable tourism activities for the discerning traveler in New Zealand. It addresses both the sustainable and authentic, promoting cultural tourism, devoting a large section of the website and guide book to the introduction of Maori culture, language, and history. NZ has a reputation for being ecologically pristine and sustainable – a reputation we are trying to extend. The small scale businesses featured are traditionally under-resourced and hard to find, but in fact offer the most authentic and intimate connection with place, otherwise unobtainable in the mainstream. We are attempting to ensure that tourist revenues flow to small producers who provide these tourism experiences. These grass root operators are the future of sustainable tourism. We want to encourage more tourists to choose sustainable options and more providers to provide sustainable options. In the section asking where the benefits of Organic Explorer are located I was allowed to choose one option. I chose to highlight the experience of tourists. In fact I believe that true sustainability can only be achieved through an inclusive and integrated policy. Organic Explorer seeks and is designed to satisfy the needs and expectations of not only the visitor but also the provider and to bring them together in conditions of mutual satisfaction and wellbeing.

Describe your approach in detial. How is it innovative?
Working as a professional photographer and production manager for New Zealand’s original organic food and lifestyle magazine, I traveled around NZ, discovering wonderful home-grown enterprises that were off the beaten track. I thought it a good idea to link them together so other people could enjoy them too. I began by collating the information into a website that would provide international reach for the subscribers and give immediate access to their businesses by tourists planning their journeys. As the website grew I came to realise that many of the website visitors wanted a complete copy of the guide so I then produced a downloadable interactive E-book of the website content that savvy travellers could download and carry on their laptops. For those sustainability-conscious visitors who are not computer literate I finally published a more traditional first edition of the Guide book, printed locally. I have come to realise that Organic Explorer forms an important transition between existing and emerging technologies and cultures. Website traffic has been increasing at an average rate of 40% a month and the printed version of the book is distributed nationwide. This has all been realised within one year of the original conception of the idea.

What types of partnerships or professional developement would be most beneficial in spearding your innovation?
Professional development needs fall into two areas: • Business Management skills • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) assistance Partnerships that would enhance our reach are: • Maori Tourism organisations • International Book distribution network • NZ eco-friendly printer partnership • Website developer partnership

In one sentence describe what kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.
The tourism operator hosts the like-minded visitors they are seeking, and visitors get the authentic, quality experience they desire.

Describe the degree of success of your approach to date. Clearly define how you measure quantitative and qualitative impact in terms of how your approach contributes to the sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How does your approach minimize negative impacts?
Organic Explorer is facilitating the more equitable distribution of the tourism dollar to a more socially, culturally and economically sustainable grass roots level. We measure our success from several sources: • Within the first year, traffic has increased exponentially by 40% a month, from over 20 countries. • New subscriptions for the second edition are arriving daily. • Many previously uncertain providers have now come on board. • Many subscribers have been very enthusiastic, telling us they are meeting interesting people as a result of their subscription • Increasing numbers of providers and visitors tell us the website and book are a useful tool. • Book and website reviewers have commented positively, particularly on the cultural tourism aspect. This indicates, quantitatively and qualitatively that our approach has been significant in developing networks between and amongst sustainable tourism providers and visitors. Further, anecdotal evidence suggests that it has become a first point of reference for local as well as international travellers, indicating a shift - ecotourism is becoming a mainstream rather than niche market. We minimize our negative impact by working in a medium and way that leaves a minimal negative environmental footprint.

How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?
By offering an extremely wide range of environmentally friendly experiences throughout New Zealand. Quote: “ I am longing to try out organic facials in Nelson, tree house accommodation in Kaikoura, organic cooking courses in Christchurch and a B&B on a llama farm in Canterbury and wellness resort in the Bay of Islands”. Miriam Sharland Reviewer, Fitness Life Magazine. Issue 36 April 08

In what ways are local residents actively involved in your innovation, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?
It’s all about them! • A community events page is open for any one to list cultural, eco/environmental workshop activity or event that travelers might being interested in engaging with. • The Farmers’ Markets throughout NZ are able to list free of charge. • The schedules for retreat centres and educational sustainability programmes are free to list. • All the subscribers are welcome to provide additional information or special offers to be highlighted on the front page of the website. • Regular newsletters are sent to the subscribers informing them of upcoming events and useful information.

Describe how your innovation helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area's cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues. How do you motivate them to act responsibly in their future travel decisions?
A significant proportion of Organic Explorer is dedicated to the cultural heritage of New Zealand’s Maori people. This includes, glossaries of Maori terms, local and regional Maori cultural and natural heritage, and descriptions of the historical relationships between the country’s major cultural groups. Most of our ecotourism subscribers offer educational information, stories and resources about the local environment, history and geology. Additionally we have shaped the Organic Explorer tourism guide itself as an educational resource raising the awareness of visitors to these issues and to impressing upon them of the importance of acting in a responsibly and sustainable manner.

Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? What is the potential demand for your innovation?
We are not currently financially sustainable. We did not expect to be economically sustainable in the first year of operation, given the set-up costs and overheads. We expect that it will become so as it becomes further established. Our growth figures indicate that we are heading in the right direction. Increased book sales, subscriptions, wider marketing and strategic business partnerships are required to recover establishment costs and to achieve full financial sustainability. The demand for the kind of ecotourism experiences we have listed is increasing 3 times the rate of the tourism industry overall so the potential market seems to be very large both from the domestic and international viewpoint.

How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.
So far the project has cost approximately $40,000, and this cost has been met by book sales, E-book sales and subscriptions (57%) and family finances (43%). We have not drawn any income from the project thus far. I work full time on the project. I employ a marketing consultant on an ad-hoc basis and my husband has contributed many unpaid hours (1/3 time) to the project as well.

What is your plan to expand your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.
We would like to encompass web2 technologies as quickly as possible to the website. Currently it is not interactive enough and this will • greatly reduce the amount of operational time I spend inputting data • allow the subscribers control over their content • Improve Search Engine ratings through increased and constantly changing content. • allow direct and immediate user feedback from traveler’s own experience of benefit to both subscribers and other travelers. This later will provide an incentive to subscribers to improve the quality of their content and delivery. A members area is also needed on the website, to provide a space for communication and sharing of information between subscribers. - as this forum has shown me! We also plan to market the Organic Explorer distribution rights overseas.

What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?
Limited project resources in - time, people and money have strained our budget and are a barrier to improving our effectiveness. We are so busy doing what we are doing we are limited in terms of opportunities for research both in NZ and overseas. We are under- resourced for the tasks necessary to grow the website and business for example some of my tasks are: • Website construction • Website production (Contents – images and texts, listings) • Book production • Book sales • Advertising and Marketing of both the website and book in New Zealand and Overseas. Another barrier we encounter is scepticism regarding sustainable tourism. An inevitable decrease in global travel will undoubtedly impact on visitor numbers to NZ, however domestic travelers are using Organic Explorer and discovering a New Zealand they did not know existed.

What is the origin of your innovation? Tell your story.
We are a small family business with a passion for sustainable living, cultural difference and healthy lifestyles. The origin of my innovation began as the photographer, graphic designer and production manager of Organic NZ magazine, often traveling throughout NZ photographing people and places we featured in the magazine. A bit about Organic NZ magazine - it is the publication of the Soil and Health Association a non-profit group formed in 1941 whose aim is to promote healthy soil, healthy food and healthy people. The association is very active in public campaigns to raise awareness and lobby for food safety, issues surrounding GE food technology and pesticide use. They have the vision of NZ becoming an entirely organic food producer by 2020. One particular event I attended through my magazine contacts was the catalyst for the idea of Organic Explorer - it was an Earthbuilding Association weekend tour of handcrafted adobe and/or strawbale homes in the Coromandel region. We ate at local organic and wholefood restaurants with a group of like minded people. This was such an enjoyable experience but was outside the realm of the mainstream tourism. This experience made me realise there were so many people and places throughout NZ who were opening their homes and lives to tourism that weren’t really represented in the mainstream tourism industry. They had something special to offer - authentic, personal and intimate encounters. I thought what a good idea it would be to link them together in some easily recognisable manner. They would appeal to the type of tourist they were wanting to host -travelers with values similar to my own. At the same time I saw it as an opportunity to promote a different kind of tourism experience. I threw myself into it, left the paid employment of the magazine when the workload of both jobs became too much to handle and haven’t stopped to breathe since the websites inception one year ago in March. My husband has a background in architecture and critical educational theory teaching and practicing building design with an emphasis on environmental and community sustainability. This work has involved him working with indigenous communities for the last 20 years. He contributed the cultural tourism component of the book and website. He also undertook the task of “selling” Organic Explorer to potential clients. I am thrilled with what we have achieved together over 1 year, but well aware of the need to keep building on the momentum we have so far developed to bring this business to fruition and economic sustainability for both us and the tourism subscribers on the website. The irony is that my love of travel and exploration of the fabulous places on my website is curtailed by the workload which currently sees me being more effective at the home office behind a computer than on the road exploring all these places we uncover. Hopefully that will change...

Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.
I have a university education in the liberal arts. I worked for 10 years as a professional illustrative photographer for a number of NZ magazines as well as photographing images for corporate businesses marketing departments. After a stint overseas, marriage and a daughter, I turned to graphic design as a less physically active work environment! – based from home. I became the designer and production manager of Organic NZ magazine. This work resonated with my concern for the environment and healthy living and ultimately led me to this point.

Please write an overview of your project. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the Google map located on teh competition homepage.
Traveling just got a whole lot easier for Eco-Tourists in New Zealand with the availability of Organic Explorer New Zealand website and travel guide. Organic Explorer is New Zealand’s very first and only directory that caters especially to the eco-conscious traveler and pulls together Ecotourism Adventures, intimate Organic Home Stays, organic Restaurants and cafes, Farmers Markets, Sustainable Eco-Accommodation, Health and Well Being Retreats, exclusive eco-Lodges and authentic Maori Cultural Tourism opportunities. The e-Book, with more than 350 listings, is a natural extension of the Organic Explorer website (www.OrganicExplorer.co.nz). Today’s savvy travellers can download the eBook, onto their laptop computers to carry with them on their travels. For the less computer-literate traveler there is also a small, pocket-sized book. We want to promote sustainable tourism by raising traveler awareness and by bringing together small scale, local sustainable tourism businesses and experiences with independence-minded travelers.

Contact Information
Ms Leonie Johnsen
Website owner and Travel Guide Author
Organic Explorer New Zealand
P.O.Box 514, Whakatane
leonie@organicexplorer.com