Geothermal tourism

Geothermal resources in the Waikato region •
The effects of tourism on our geothermal resources •
A sustainable industry •
Monitoring visitor numbers to geothermal areas •
What's happening? •
Methods - How we monitor •
Useful Links

Geothermal tourism in the Waikato region

The Waikato region is home to internationally important geothermal sites visited by both domestic and international tourists. Generally tourism has few negative effects on geothermal features, and with careful management effects can be minimised. In general, geothermal features found in tourist areas are looked after by the tourism facility staff and therefore are better protected than those outside tourism areas.

New Zealand is known world-wide for its geothermal attractions. Our geothermal features are major tourist attractions for both domestic and international visitors. The only other area equally well known is the Yellowstone National Park in the United States.

Most of New Zealand’s geothermal areas are found in the Waikato region. In 2011, there were more than two and a half million visits to geothermal attractions in the Waikato region. Find out more by reading Technical Report 2011/15 (Valuing uses of the Waikato Regional Geothermal Resource).

The effects of tourism on our geothermal resources

Generally, tourism has little negative effect on the geothermal resource. Geothermal tourism provides local employment, brings tourism dollars into the region, and aids New Zealand's foreign exchange balance. It is worth approximately $206 million to the regional economy. Geothermal tourism also promotes public awareness and support for preserving natural areas.

However tourism can affect some geothermal features:

Pumice and gravel used on tourist tracks has spread across and changed fragile sinter surfaces.
Pathways cut across sinter terraces, stopping regeneration.
At Tokaanu, many of the geothermal pools are partially drained to stop them flowing across the tourist path.
In the past, the ground surrounding the Champagne Pool at Wai-O-Tapu was being eroded by foot traffic, leading to a risk that the pool surrounds may collapse. This has been remediated by putting a boardwalk across the area to prevent further erosion.

Find out more about the geysers and sinter springs in the Waikato region.

A sustainable industry

For tourism to be sustainable long-term we need to preserve and protect our geothermal attractions.

Through regional policy, consents and education we ensure this by:

Making sure that the supply of geothermal fluid to surface features and to small-scale users isn’t affected when geothermal fluid is extracted from underground sources.
Making sure that the materials used to build roads and tracks do not contaminate geothermal features; that the flow of geothermal water across sinter terraces is not diverted; and that foot traffic will not erode the land surrounding the features. The best way to do this is to use boardwalks above ground level, rather than paths.
Preventing people from getting too close to geothermal features so that the features are protected from vandalism and accidental damage.

Monitoring Visitor Numbers to Geothermal Areas

Photo of two people digging a bathing hole on hot water beach

Why we monitor visitor numbers to geothermal areas

This indicator monitors:

Estimated domestic and international visitor numbers to geothermal attractions in the Waikato region in 2011.
Visitor activities at geothermal attractions in the Waikato region in 2011.

The world’s two most well-known areas for geothermal sightseeing are New Zealand and Yellowstone National Park in America. The Waikato region contains about 70 percent of New Zealand’s geothermal resources and features, however the Bay of Plenty region is home to New Zealand’s most visited geothermal attraction, Whakarewarewa in Rotorua.

Geothermal systems are valued for their:

energy resource
tourism income
unique ecosystems
cultural values
spiritual values
amenity values
historical values.

Geothermal attractions are an important part of the Waikato region’s economy. They have spiritual and cultural importance to local Maori (Tangata Whenua, or ‘people of the land’) as well as being an important tourist attraction. Monitoring the number of visitors indicates what types of geothermal attractions are important to people and the economy.

What's happening?

Visitors can threaten the natural character of our geothermal areas. A balance must be maintained so people can visit or use these areas without degrading or destroying them. Other pressures include activities such as energy use and nearby land use.

Damage to geothermal areas can occur through:

people not keeping to designated pathways
walking routes eroding due to foot traffic (although wooden boardwalks help prevent this)
gravel from the paths contaminating sinter pools and terraces
modifying pools for human use, changing their natural appearance
vandalism
littering
farming activities (for instance, through stock damage, runoff and siltation).

Find out more about threats to geothermal resources.

In 2011, approximately 2.6 million people visited geothermal attractions in the Waikato region - 60 percent from New Zealand (1.6 million) and 40 percent from overseas (1.0 million). Public bathing at geothermal attractions was the most popular activity with both groups. The second most popular activity for international visitors was ‘nature tourism’, and for New Zealanders, two of the region’s technology-related sites (Wairakei Borefield and the Prawn Park near Taupo).

Methods - How we monitor

Where and how we collect the data

Monitoring sites

This page summarises the geothermal monitoring and reporting that Waikato Regional Council do.

Geothermal attractions in the Waikato region:

Bathing as part of accommodation facilities (23 sites)
Okoroire Hot Springs, Okoroire Miranda Holiday Park, Miranda Te Aroha Holiday Park and Hot Pools Waingaro Hot Springs Motel All Seasons Holiday Park, Taupo Lake Taupo Holiday Park, Taupo Baycrest Lodge, Taupo Boulevard Waters Motel, Taupo Chelmswood Manor, Taupo Clearwater Motor Lodge, Taupo The Cove, Taupo	Karaka Tree, Taupo Lakefront Motor Lodge, Taupo Manuels, Taupo Moana Reef Motel, Taupo Phoenix Timeshare Resort, Taupo Sacred Waters, Taupo Wairakei Resort Hotel, Wairakei Braxmere Lodge, Tokaanu Oasis Motel and Caravan Park, Tokaanu Rainbow Motels, Tokaanu Tokaanu Lodge Motel, Tokaanu Waiotapu Tavern
Free informal bathing (10 sites)
Golden Springs Reserve, Reporoa Butcher’s Pool Reserve, Reporoa Waiotapu Stream, Waiotapu Kerosene Creek, Waiotapu Spa Park, Taupo Taharepa Point, Taupo Rocky Point, Taupo	Kawhia Beach Seeps, Kawhia Hot Water Beach Seeps, Hot Water Beach Waihunuhunu, Lake Ohakuri.
Pay bathing (9 sites)
Waikite Valley Thermal Pools, Rotorua Tokaanu Baths, Tokaanu AC Baths, Taupo Taupo Hot Springs, Taupo	Opal Hot Springs, Matamata Matamata Swimming Pool, Matamata Te Aroha Hot Springs, Te Aroha Waingaro Hot Springs, Waingaro Miranda Hot Springs, Miranda
Nature tourism (5 sites)
Waiotapu Orakei Korako Wairakei Natural Thermal Valley Craters of the Moon, Wairakei the thermal walk beside the public baths at Tokaanu
Technology-related (3 sites)
Wairakei Power Station borefield Prawn Park, Wairakei Wairakei Terraces

Monitoring frequency

This is a benchmark survey of visitor numbers data for all known geothermal sites in the Waikato region. Visitor numbers to a few key sites are collected annually and the full report updated occasionally.

Monitoring history

The majority of this indicator’s data were taken from Waikato Regional Council's surveys conducted in 2002 and 2011.
The annual visitor numbers for Wairakei Power Station borefield used in this report are estimates based on a Contact Energy Limited survey carried out between December 1999 and January 2000.

Measurement technique

The majority of the data were collected through telephone, letter and site visits to commercial site business owners. In a few cases the results of site surveys were collected from independent sources.
For sites without business owners or existing survey information, visitor number estimates were based on observations made by Waikato Regional Council staff during site visits, or estimates made by proprietors of nearby commercial facilities.
All known sites where geothermal water is used for recreational purposes are divided into domestic use sites or public recreation sites. Domestic sites were excluded from the survey.
Sites where geothermal heat is used only for space heating and domestic water heating were not included because it is likely that some other way would be found to heat the space if geothermal heat was not available.
Also excluded were sites where geothermal water is used in a domestic environment, such as homes, resthomes, marae and natural hot springs found within a built up area that are used primarily by local residents.
Public sites where geothermal heat is used to heat fresh water for recreational bathing are included where it is likely that the facility would not exist without the geothermal heat source.

This report defines a geothermal attraction as a publicly accessible site where geothermal characteristics are a primary recreational or tourist attraction.

Visitor numbers per annum were obtained or estimated for each public recreation site in the survey. The ratio of domestic to international visitors was calculated.

Visitor activities at public recreation sites in the survey were divided into six categories:

1. Bathing as part of accommodation facilities

Accommodation facilities (for example, hotels, motels and camping grounds) where geothermal bathing facilities are provided. The bathing water is either geothermal water or fresh water heated by geothermal water.

2. Free informal bathing

Around the region, there are geothermal springs that are largely undeveloped, have no entry price, and are used for bathing. Some are on public land, while others are on private land accessible to the public. The sites covered in this survey are those which are usually accessed through a car or bus journey (usually by New Zealanders). Hot Water Beach is the most visited of these sites, however, most of its visitors are busloads of overseas tourists. Excluded sites were those in built-up areas easily accessed by mostly local residents who walk to the site, using it in a ‘domestic’ capacity.

3. Pay bathing

Developed geothermal bathing facilities. The water is either geothermal water or fresh water heated by geothermal heat. Hot pools attached to clubs such as golf and squash clubs are not included because they are only a secondary attraction of membership. Also excluded are sites used primarily in an educational context, such as Swimwell in Taupō and school pools.

4. Nature tourism

Developed facilities that either provide free walks or charge visitors to look at geothermal attractions such as geysers, boiling mud pools, sinter terraces, fumeroles and hot springs.

5. Technology related sites

This category covers geothermal resources which have been highly modified by geothermal technology. Currently this group contains three sites, the Wairakei borefield which has a free lookout area, Wairakei Terraces, and the Prawn Park, where paying visitors take tours to view prawns grown in the geothermally-heated ponds, and eat prawns in the cafe on site.
Visitor numbers presented in this indicator are a combination of site surveys, entry fee totals and estimates.

Results - data and trends

Visitor numbers to geothermal attractions in 2002 and 2011

The graph below shows how many people were estimated to have visited the Waikato region’s geothermal attractions in 2011. It also shows the activities visitors preferred:

Graph showing visitor numbers to geothermal attractions in 2002 and 2011

Download the data file

This Excel file contains the source data to this indicator's graph and any additional data. The data were collected in the year ended June 2011.

Download the data file
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Useful Links

Geothermal tourism