Project Question

As we began brainstorming for this final project, several weeks ago, we knew we wanted to pick a topic that was close to our hearts, a project with results that we would care about and that we could possibly apply to our lives. Both Nate and Monika are graduating from UBC this year and are hoping to become traveling vagabonds in New Zealand. While our preferred method of transportation would be a remodeled Sprinter Van, being penniless students might make bikes a more viable option. We decided to use this project as a fun and challenging way to become familiar with New Zealand’s topography, the extent of their road systems, the proximity of their city centers, and of course, other than Hobbit houses, what there was to see. And so our topic questions were born:

  • Is it possible to see a wide range of destinations all over a certain region of the South Island (we’ve been told, if we’re going to stick to half, this was the half we should choose) from the back of the bike?
  • Is there sufficient road coverage to get from location to location without too tough a ride?
  • What would be the best order in which to visit desired locations?

Tourism in New Zealand

According to New Zealand’s tourism sites, “Tourism is an important industry in New Zealand, directly contributing NZ$7.3 billion (or 3.7%) of the country’s GDP.” Approximately 6% of New Zealand’s workforce is dedicated to supporting the tourism industry. New Zealand is proud of what they have to offer, claiming to be just a big “clean, green playground.” The slogan seen on the official tourism site is “100% Pure New Zealand” boasting of the purity of their landscapes and outdoor adventure. 

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Destination Criteria

Finding spatial data was only half of the preparation before analysis could occur. We needed sites to get to, tourist destinations that followed some kind of criteria that we could center our route around. We visited TripAdvisor and decided to go with the best of the best, the top tourist destinations in Canterbury New Zealand. However, instead of just taking the top 10 or 20 we had to do a bit of subjective selecting. This was done using a few strategies. First many of the items on the list overlapped on destinations, featuring different attractions in the same areas. We grouped these together into their more general locations and made that the “point” on our map, instead of any specific attraction over another. Secondly, we wanted to get to areas all over Canterbury instead of just sticking to museums in Christchurch, or multiple locations in Mt. Cook National Park. To ensure diversity in geographic location, we went down the list past the top 10 until we had an attraction for most of the major cities or regions in Canterbury. This would allow a cyclist to use our map to truly get an all inclusive view of Canterbury, going all over the region and seeing the best of what each sub-destination had to offer. The list of attractions/destinations by region of Canterbury is shown below.

  • Christchurch
    • Among the largest cities in New Zealand and definitely the largest on our Bike Tour, Christchurch has much to offer for all sorts of tastes. The arts abound as does beauty such as found in the CC Botanic Gardens and Hagley Park. Historical monuments such as the Earthquake Memorial titled “185 Empty White Chairs” are also worth the visit. This city would be start and end point for any long term stay in Canterbury.
  • Hanmer Springs
    • This is a smaller town in the interior featuring mountain views such as that of Conical Hill as well as natural hot springs.
  • Arthur’s Pass
    • This stop brings us to the westward reaches of Canterbury. Arthur’s Pass is a National Park in the Southern New Zealand Alps. There are numerous things to do and see including a Tranz Alpine Rail Service, multiple walks and hikes of varying difficulty levels stunning lookout points. 
  • Rangiora
    • Back on the East, just a little North of Christchurch, this charming city offers more relaxed activities such as viewing Breedenbroek Gardens and various Farm Parks. High Country Explorer Tours are also available for the more adventurous traveler. 
  • Ashburton
    • Aviation musuem! Skydiving in a stunning location! Need I say more!
  • Timaru
    • This cozy little town features quiet places to stay, beautiful beaches where you might catch a glimpse of penguins if you’re lucky, and a variety of specialty museums and art galleries.
  • Akaroa
    • A coastal city with a French twist, Akaroa is said to be the romantic stop along the way. Scenic and quaint, one can encounter wildlife at the Pohatu Penguin Habitat or the by experiencing the Banks Peninsula Dolphin Encounter, two of the highest rated tourist attractions in Canterbury.
  • Geraldine
    • Moving Southward, Geraldine offers many attractions worth visiting including Hidden Valleys Day Tours, observatories and a variety of specialty museums, ranging from the Medieval Ages to Vintage Cars. 
  • Mt Cook National Park
    • Back on the West side of Canterbury lies Aoraki, or Mt. Cook National Park. This park is a stunning setting for adventure tourism, famous for scenic views and outdoor exploration. The Hooker Valley Track is especially well rated.
  • Lake Tekapo
    • An area of more natural wonders than one could ever soak in, this region features Lake Tekapo with the similarly stunning Lake Pukaki close by. When you’re tired of all the water, Mt. John University Observatory is the best attraction around.
  • Twizel
    • Our tour ends in Twizel, a city in the southwest corner of Canterbury, world renowned for their Lord of the Rings Tour. This is a must see and a highlight for any Tolkien fans (of which both Nate and Monika are), and was therefore an excellent finish to an epic adventure.  

 

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