Over ten million internet sites refer to `backpackers'. More than one million refer to backpacking in New Zealand. This research investigated the relationship between internet advertisements for eco-tourism backpacker accommodation in New Zealand, and the actual experience of green practices at those same hostels. This qualitative study is an ethnographic examination of hostel managers' understanding and use of the 100% PURE NZ brand, and other messages indicating sustainability and environmental awareness. The goal of the fieldwork was to check how, or whether, brand promises on the internet corresponded with actual product deliveries. How seriously are New Zealand's promotional promises based on environmental claims such as, `clean, green and 100% PURE', taken by tourist hostel operators? Vacation marketing and destination banding play a significant role in informing New Zealand's international image and reputation.
Hunter, C. and Shaw, J. (2007) `The Ecological Footprint as a Key Indicator of Sustainable Tourism', Tourism Management28(1): 46-57.
2.
Garrard, G. (2004) Ecocriticism. London; New York: Routledge.
3.
Morgan, N. and Pritchard, A. (2002) `Contextualising Destination Branding' in N. Morgan, A. Pritchard and R. Pride (eds) Destination Branding, pp. 11-12. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann.
4.
Bell, C. (1996) Inventing New Zealand; Everyday Myths of Pakeha Identity. New Zealand: Penguin.
5.
Morgan, N., Pritchard, A. and Piggott, R. (2002) `New Zealand, 100% Pure. The creation of a powerful niche destination brand', The Journal of Brand Management9 (4-5): 335-54.
6.
Tourism New Zealand (2005) URL (consulted July 2005): http://www.newzealand.com/travel/ . URL (consulted July 2005): http://www.purenz.com/index.cfm/purenz_page/163F1C92-30BC-4B0C-8762-0E2456C81FE3.html).
7.
Jutel, T. (2005) `Lord of the Rings: Landscape, Transformation, and Geography of the Virtual', in C. Bell and S. Matthewman (eds) Cultural Studies in Aotearoa New Zealand, p. 60. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
8.
Bell, C. (2006) `Branding New Zealand: The National Green-Wash' , British Review of New Zealand Studies (BRONZ)15:13-28.
9.
Ecotourism Society (2000) Ecotourism Explorer. ULR: http://www.ecotoruism.org/index.html.
10.
Dorsey, E.R. , Steeves, H.L. and Porras, L.E. (2004) `Advertising Ecotourism on the Internet: Commodifying Environment and Culture', New Media and Society6(6): 753-79.
11.
Rhodes,E.A.R. (2004) `How "Responsible Tourism" is Advocated on the Internet'. URL: http://www.ecotourismolatina.com .
12.
Woodland, M. and Acott, T.G. (2007) `Sustainability and Local Tourism Branding in England's South Downs', Journal of Sustainable Tourism15(6): 715-734.
13.
Dorsey et al., ref. 10 above.
14.
Mowforth, M. and Munt, I. (1998) Tourism and Sustainability. London: Routledge.
15.
Lui, Z. (2003) `Sustainable Tourism Development: A Critique', Journal of Sustainable Tourism11(6): 459-75.
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Jamrozy, U. (2007) `Marketing of Tourism; A Paradigm Shift Towards Sustainability', International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research1(2): 123.
17.
Kirstges, T. (2002) `Basic Questions of "Sustainable Tourism": Does Ecological and Socially Acceptable Tourism have a Chance?' , Current Issues in Tourism5(3-4): 179.
18.
Middleton,V.C.T. (1994) Marketing in Travel and Tourism, 2nd edn. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
19.
Wang,Y.,Yu, Q. and Fesenmaier, D.R. (2002) `Defining the Virtual Tourist Community: Implications for Tourism Marketing', in Tourism Management23(4): 407-17.
20.
Palmer, A. and McCole, P. (2000) `The Role of Electronic Commerce in Creating Virtual Tourism Destination Marketing Organizations' , International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management12(3): 198-204.
21.
Pechlaner, H. and Raich, M. (2001)`The Role of InformationTechnology in the Information Process for Cultural Products and Services in Tourism Destinations' , Information Technology & Tourism4(2): 91-106.
22.
Dorsey et al., ref. 10 above.
23.
Iliachenko, E.Y. (2005) `Exploring Culture History and Nature as Tourist Destination Branding Constructs.'V11 Nordic-Scottish Conference on Rural and Regional Development in Association with the 14th Nordic Symposium in Tourism and Hospitality Research; Akureyi, Iceland, Sept 22-25th.
24.
Lai, P-H. and Shafer, S. (2005) `Marketing Ecotourism through the Internet', Journal of Ecotourism4(3): 143-160.
25.
Waitt, G. (1997) `Selling Paradise and Adventure: Representations of Landscape and Tourist Advertising in Australia', Australian Geographical Studies35(1): 47-60.
26.
Bell, C. and Lyall, J. (2002) The Accelerated Sublime: Landscape, Tourism and Identity. Westport, CN: Praeger .
27.
Selby, M. and Morgan, N.J. (1996) `Reconstructing Place Image', Tourism Management17(4): 287-94.
28.
Natural Capital (2004) Perspectives on International Best Practice Green Tourism Research Report . Edinburgh: Scottish Enterprise .
29.
Cohen, E. (2004) Contemporary Tourism: Diversity and Change. New York: Elsevier.
30.
Loker-Murphy, L. and Pearce, P.L. (1995) `Young Budget Travelers: Backpackers in Australia', Annals of Tourism Research22(4): 819-43.
31.
Tourism Research Council New Zealand (2005) URL: http://www.trenz.govt.nz/Topics/behavior+and+characteristics/default.htm.
32.
Tourism Research Council New Zealand, ref. 31 above.
33.
Ministry of Tourism (2001 ) New Zealand National Tourist Strategy, 2010 URL: http://www.tourism.govt.nz/strategy/str-erports-2010/str-rep-2010full.pdf .
34.
Tolich, M. and Davidson, C. (2003) Social Science Research in New Zealand. 2nd edn. Rosedale, New Zealand: Pearsons, Prentice Hall.
35.
Denzin, N. K. and Lincoln,Y. S. (eds) (2000) Ethnography, Qualitative Research, Research Design, Research Methodology, Social Science Research, Theory Practice Relationship. Los Angeles, CA ; SAGE.
36.
Lai and Shafer, ref. 24 above.
37.
Lai and Shafer, ref. 24 above, p. 158.
38.
Warnken, J., Bradley, M. and Guilding, C. (2003) `Eco-Resorts vs. Mainstream Accommodation Providers: An Investigation of theViability of Benchmarking', doi:10.1016/ j.tourman.2003.11.017.
39.
Bedall, J. and Font, X. (2004) `Which Tourist Rules? Green Standards and GATS', Annals of Tourism Research31(1): 139-56.
40.
Zimmerman, N. (2000) `Backpacker Consciousness of Capetown's Backpacker Lodges.' Thesis for B.Sc (Honours) in Environmental and Geographic Science, University of Capetown.
41.
Natural Capital, ref. 28 above, pp. 8-10.
42.
Liu, ref. 15 above, p. 470.
43.
Natural Capital, ref. 28 above, p.10.
44.
Morgan, N., Pritchard,A. and Pride, R. (2002) Destination Branding: Creating the Unique Destination Proposition. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann .
45.
Anholt, S. (2002) `Nation Brands: The Value of "Provenance" in Branding' ,in N. Morgan, A. Pritchard and R. Pride (eds) Destination Branding , p. 43. Boston, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann .
46.
Anholt, ref. 45 above.
47.
Price, G.G. (2003) e-Review ofTourism Research (ERTR)1(3) URL: http://ertr.tamu.edu.
48.
Bell (2006). `Branding New Zealand; the National Greenwash', in British Review of New Zealand Studies (BRONZS)15: 13-28.
49.
Bell, ref. 4 above, p. 33.
50.
Liu, ref. 15 above, p. 471.
51.
MacCannell, D. (1992) Empty Meeting Grounds - the Tourist Papers. London: Routledge .
