La Vernge Lehmann

Degree: PhD

Title: Valuing water in dryland areas for tourism

Overview:    The increasing awareness of the value of water in dryland areas – largely as a result of ten years of ongoing drought conditions across much of South Eastern Australia – has been the catalyst for this research.

At a macro or industry level, water is considered to be a critical element in attracting visitors to a region for a variety of water-based activities in lake and river systems. In the case of the Wimmera, including the Grampians, numerous lakes and rivers have attracted visitors for activities including fishing, boating, skiing and swimming for many years.

The research question here is: How reliant is dryland tourism on water and do actions taken, increase the adaptation of the tourism sector to changes in water availability and use?

At a micro or business level, tourism operators use water in a variety of ways. Water is used for spas and pools as well as gardens that enhance the aesthetics of particular operation. Different businesses will use these features (either consciously or unconsciously) as part of the attraction of their property in their marketing. The issue is how much value can be placed on water use in these businesses – and can it be compared to water use in irrigation agriculture or water rights for landowners.

The research can also assess the value and uptake of Industry-based initiatives, such as the green star rating system developed by AAA Tourism, to encourage water usage reduction within tourism operations. Water authorities have also encouraged tourism operators to promote water-use awareness with their visitors through the use of signage in bathrooms etc. The question is how useful this type of signage is in the first instance and then over time as visitors become more accustomed to these messages.

Consumers also choose their holiday destinations for a variety of reasons. Is the lack of water in some areas a significant deterrent in that decision-making? Is there is any increase in the demand by consumers for tourism operators who do manage their water resource wisely?

The research question here is: Is water availability a factor that influences both the decision making process for consumers when choosing a holiday destination and do educational campaigns influence their behaviour when they are on holiday?

Using the Wimmera Mallee region provides an opportunity to:

• Understand the impact of drought conditions on the value and use of water in the tourism sector, and
• To assess how the introduction of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline, which is expected to replenish river and lake systems with water savings, might affect tourism across the region and reduce the impact of prolonged drought in the future.

Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Ian Clark

Associate Supervisor: Dr Pam McRae-Williams

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