Tourist Hazard Awareness on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (2005–2025)

Application process

A completed online application must be submitted by 4.30 pm 22 September 2025. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. Any required supporting documentation (including references) must also be received by 4.30 pm on the closing date in order for the application to be considered.

Project number

136

Project description

Applicants must be Māori, or of Māori descent.

New Zealand's national parks, draw substantial domestic and international tourism. Yet, these areas face significant natural hazards: extreme weather, landslides, flooding, volcanic activity, and alpine risks. Tourists also arrive with varied backgrounds, different awareness and experience levels and tolerances for natural hazard risk. With government efforts to boost overseas tourism, increased visitor numbers are expected to national parks. This influx presents a risk of more tourists entering these hazardous environments, potentially unaware of the inherent risk. Current hazard and risk communication, while present, may not effectively reach diverse tourist demographics with varying levels of outdoor experience and risk perception. Previous research focused on specific hazards or locations, lacking a multi-hazard and communication tailored approach.

This study will provide an updated view of tourism multi hazard and risk awareness using Tongariro National Park as a case study. We aim to assess tourist perceptions, preparedness, and the effectiveness of current risk communication. Employing a multi-hazard, risk communication approach, we will conduct summer season surveys across multiple sites within the park. Similar surveys were conducted in 2005/06 and 2015/16, and this project aims to replicate and expand on those efforts to enable comparison over time. The updated survey will incorporate insights from recent literature, stakeholder input, and scientific expertise to better understand how perceptions and behaviours may have shifted.

This project is part of the Hazard & Risk Management Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF) Programme within the Social Science for Resilience to Hazards project and Vision Mātauranga SSIF of Earth Science New Zealand.

This project is for a single student.

Skills and characteristics

Essential:

  • Strong verbal communication skills: The student must be comfortable approaching and beginning conversations with tourists/the public to recruit them into our survey.
  • Willingness and availability to undertake multi-day fieldwork in January/February in Tongariro National Park, including some fieldwork on weekends.
  • Physically fit for easy/moderate hiking (e.g., 6 km return to Soda Springs).
  • Awareness of field safety protocols and ability to follow detailed plans.
  • Interested in qualitative and/or quantitative research with human participants.
  • Understanding of ethical considerations when working with the public.
  • Enrolled in a Bachelors (minimum entering their 3rd year in 2026) within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (e.g., Sociology), Faculty of Science (e.g., Geography, Environment and Earth Science, Science in Society, GIS), or School of Psychological Sciences.

Preferred:

  • Experience with survey analysis, statistics and data tools (e.g., Qualtrics/Survey123, SPSS, NVIVO, Python, R).
  • Report writing and time management skills.
  • Living in either Auckland, Rotorua/Taupo, Lower Hutt/Wellington during the 10-week program.
  • Whakapapa to the National Park region / Ngāti Tūwharetoa / Ngāti Rangi (but not essential).
  • New Zealand Full or Restricted license.

Role of the student within the research project

The student will provide research support as part of a team of Hazard and Risk Social Scientists undertaking this project. This survey has been completed in both 2005 and 2015-16, and there is room to improve and expand the previous survey design based on discussions with collaborators and external stakeholders. The student will have defined tasks within the project such as a literature review, that will be completed with support (for example, the student will use a snowballing approach from a set of predefined literature already identified).

Key Tasks (in collaboration with supervisor and wider team):

  • Conduct a literature review, including academic and grey literature, on tourism and natural hazards.
  • Assist in updating the design of the field survey, including evaluating data collection platforms (e.g., paper-based, GIS-based Survey123) and new survey questions based on literature, expert input (e.g., GNS scientists), and stakeholder feedback (e.g., DOC).
  • Participate in fieldwork in Tongariro National Park during December-February: likely 1–2 sampling trips (~2-5 days each, including weekdays and weekends), potentially including public holiday weekends (Waitangi). Dates TBC.
  • Support data analysis and interpretation for publication in a report and presentations for external stakeholders.
  • The student will be included as a co-author in future publications.

Benefits for the student assigned to this project

  • The student will be included in relationship building activities and meetings with external groups and agencies including Department of Conservation, Mountain Safety Council, tourism industry groups and local iwi, allowing them to build connections.
  • The student will have the opportunity to be included as a co-author on future publications (including science reports and/or journal articles)
  • If the student is not already familiar with survey design and analysis tools, they will be provided with training (or upskilled) in these tools.
  • The student will be included in fieldwork, with all costs associated with travel funded by the project.

Project location

Mainly at the provider's premises or working remotely.