Vehicle crime in car parks at outdoor recreation and tourist destinations poses an unwelcome problem for visitors and destination managers in New Zealand. Some tourists and recreationists may avoid some outdoor recreation sites and activities because of perceived threats. Currently, no public agencies are fully addressing the problem, and the impact of vehicle crime in these settings is poorly understood. We set out to identify the prevalence and impact of this problem and, where possible, solutions, using a collaborative multiple-method approach that involved quantitative data collection from crime records; surveys of the New Zealand population, and domestic and international tourists; and five targeted recreationist surveys. In addition, qualitative data were gathered through focus groups of recreation participants and non-participants; media content analysis; an assessment of victim accounts; interviews with 30 convicted vehicle crime offenders; and three regional case studies. We found that, in contrast to vehicle crime recorded elsewhere in New Zealand, the incidence of vehicle crime at car parks managed by the Department of Conservation is low and predominately focused at a small number of car parks. Recreationists and the public considered the problem to be somewhat larger than official records suggested it was and, correspondingly, their reported levels of concern were disproportionately large. International tourists, however, were less concerned. Vehicle crime was a significant issue for outdoor recreationists, as this group experienced the highest levels of victimisation. However, international tourists falling victim to this crime appear to suffer the most severe consequences. Solutions uncovered as part of this study are presented, along with a summary of a planning and evaluation framework constructed for destination managers and associated agencies grappling with vehicle crime.
Purpose
There is concern that vehicle crime (used herein to refer to thefts of and from vehicles) in car parks at outdoor recreation and tourist destinations poses an unwelcome problem for car park visitors, both international and domestic. Anecdotal accounts and reports in the media suggest that some tourists and recreationists may avoid some outdoor recreation sites and activities because of perceived threats. In addition, the publicity given to vehicle crime at car parks and road ends associated with visitor attractions can be a problem for tourist industry businesses, destination managers, law enforcement agencies, international and domestic tourists, and local communities. The true extent to which international visitors are affected by vehicle break-ins is unknown, although anecdotal accounts indicate that they were perceived as prime targets for vehicle break-ins, often being naïve about the extent of the problem in New Zealand, not taking enough precautions, carrying high-value items and cash, and more often using easily identifiable rental vehicles (which are targeted by offenders). Vehicle crime appeared to have major ramifications for the reputation of New Zealand as a safe and friendly tourism destination, for the objectives of park management agencies to provide for quality visitor services and for the financial ‘bottom-lines’ of tourism-dependent businesses. This research project aims to find out how widespread this problem is, where the ‘hotspots’ are, how this problem affects recreation and tourism behaviour and what the best strategies and tools are to reduce it.