Abstract:
Sustainability discourses have become increasingly prominent within the New Zealand tourism industry in recent years. Accommodation providers, along with all other tourism businesses, are facing increasing pressure to implement ‘sustainable practices’ in order to mitigate their impact on the socio-ecological systems in which they operate. While there is evidence to suggest that many accommodation providers have integrated sustainable practices into their operations, a significant proportion of the sector is yet to do so. In response to this observation, this thesis explores how and why sustainable practices are (and are not) being taken up by accommodation providers. This is done by examining how the concept of sustainability is understood by providers, how these understandings shape practice, and the key factors influencing the implementation (or lack thereof) of sustainable practices within the sector. This research utilises a mixed methods case study of Queenstown Lakes District, New Zealand, and draws upon data obtained from a web-based questionnaire distributed among accommodation providers and semi-structured interviews with providers and key industry stakeholders. The analysis reveals a strong environmental skew in providers’ understandings of sustainability, which results in a tendency for sustainable practices to take shape through a series of eco-efficiency and waste management practices, with providers frequently overlooking the need for more sociallyoriented practices. The research also highlights the complexities associated with translating ideas of sustainability into practice and reveals that factors such as social norms, lack of infrastructure and low availability of or access to more sustainable alternative products are impeding the widespread implementation of sustainable practices. The findings of this research further suggest the potential role of collaborative networks in aiding the development of sustainable practices within the sector. Accordingly, this thesis argues that in addition to establishing clarity around what sustainability means for practice, there is a need to address the infrastructural, practical and social mechanisms facilitating the uptake of sustainable practices at an operational level. Key words: sustainability, sustainable practice, tourism, accommodation, New Zealand.
