Milford Sound Piopiotahi is one of New Zealand’s most popular visitor attractions and iconic destinations in the world. 870,000 visitors went to Milford Sound Piopiotahi in 2019, with tourism growth forecast to continue, reaching 2 million by 2035. It is located in part of New Zealand’s largest National Park (Fiordland) and holds UNESCO World Heritage status.
The current Milford Road corridor and Milford Sound Piopiotahi itself are under stress. This required new thinking to safeguard the core character and values, World Heritage status, conservation values and the visitor experience.
Together with WSP, Xyst worked on Stage 1 of the project reporting to a governance board of Ngai Tahu, the regions Mayors, tourism operators, Tourism New Zealand and the Department of Conservation and MBIE.
The project required extensive stakeholder engagement, visioning and governance workshops with many of our recommendations being carried forward into the current stages of the project.
