Noticing a gap in Auckland walking tours, Aucky Walky Tours owner, Liz Lyons, wanted to establish a tourism product that benefits the destination – getting visitors exploring on foot.
“We need to reduce tourism’s impact on future generations and promote slower, cleaner travel options,” says Liz. “Our ‘Hello Auckland walking tour’ of Auckland is the ultimate way to level a light visitor footprint and reveal the city’s central attractions.”
As well as using our feet, Aucky Walky aims to educate visitors on Auckland’s trains, ferries and buses by combining certain tours with bus travel. In 2017, the business was awarded by Auckland Transport for its efforts to promote visitor use of public transport and reducing tourism-related congestion.
One of the walking tours Aucky Walky hosts involves partnering with a leading e-bike tour operator to offer visitors a full day of carbon-neutral sightseeing by combining a walking tour with an e-bike tour.
As well as ethical practice and sustainable tourist products, ‘social purpose’ is at the core of Aucky Walky Tours. Liz wants visitors to form deeper connections with locals through slower impact travel.
“We want visitors to feel less like a tourist and more like an Aucklander. To blend in with the locals and experience a real connection to the city.”
Tours stop at a locally-owned hotel for a hot drink where coffee is enjoyed in china cups instead of takeaway cups, reducing the impact on Auckland’s landfill.
Aucky Walky’s approach to sustainable tourism aligns with ATEED’s Destination AKL 2025 strategy, helping to deliver a more sustainable visitor economy for Auckland.
Aucky Walky Tours is a foundation signee of the Tourism Sustainability Commitment which has now attracted more than 1000 New Zealand tourism businesses, of which ATEED is also one of them. The goal is to have every New Zealand tourism business on board by 2025.
For more information on Aucky Walky Tours, please visit their website.