Selling identity: tourism,

Teacher note

Worksheet

Now that New Zealand, Japan and other countries are working to build knowledge economies, it is sensible to look for practical situations in which the next generation might encourage economic growth.

Students of today can find work opportunities in tourism, can use knowledge to develop their capability to work in tourism, and can expect to gain satisfying knowledge from the contact with people and ideas that will follow.

Tourism from Japan, which rapidly grew from a low base last century, has settled down to a profitable but slow growth level.

It may be in the interest of the next generation of New Zealanders to find growth – if it is available – from tourism from Japan. Japanese and New Zealand tourist industry and other leaders have done some of the research and development, and some of the analysis to identify possible growth market segments.

Key understandings that you may wish students in your class to explore are outlined below:

Economic growth in the last decade has focused on the ‘knowledge economy’

The knowledge economy focus has impacted on the nature and type of employment opportunities available

Japanese & New Zealanders have participated in the knowledge economy by marketing their respective countries for education and tourism growth.

This chapter of the Kansai through Kiwi eyes DVD offers a number of illustrative examples of the knowledge economy in the New Zealand and Kansai settings, including

o What tourism attractions do Kiwi students consider they could develop that could appeal to Japanese student visitors, and their parents?

o What information sources about tourists from Japan can be found by New Zealanders in New Zealand?

o Design a research plan for tourism attractions that could be developed in your area for people from Japan

Further lines of inquiry:

- Is "100% Pure" a marketing myth?

- Does selling an identity represent all New Zealanders?

- What opportunities does the tourism industry offer school leavers?

- In what areas might the tourism industry focus in twenty years time?