Five South Island regions to benefit from $49 million kick-start funding
TIA calls for further $100 million to include North Island
Government funding to support tourism businesses in five South Island regions to prepare for the return of international visitors is welcome but Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) has called for the funding to be increased and extended across the entire country.
The five communities are: Queenstown Lakes, Southland focussing around Te Anau and Fiordland, Kaikōura, Mackenzie, and Westland focussing around Fox Glacier and Franz Josef.
The five regions have been devastated by the absence of international visitors will be able to apply for the new $49 million kick-start fund from April 1.
TIA is advocating that a further $100 million in grants be made available to tourism operators across New Zealand.
TIA Communications Manager, Ann-Marie Johnson explained the fund was created a year ago, pending the reopening of New Zealand’s borders which begins at 11.59pm on April 12, targeting regions most affected by the loss of international visitors.
But following another summer of reduced trade, many tourism businesses across the whole country, she said, would easily meet the kick-start criteria of a 50 percent drop in annual revenue compared to 2019-20 levels.
“It’s fantastic progress that borders are reopening earlier than expected. Tourism operators are now gearing up for the return of our international visitors,” she said.
“They need investment to scale up their operations, hire new staff, refresh their facilities or marketing.
“Tourism businesses that are still trading today are our most resilient operators who have navigated the COVID journey so far.
“They are the core of our tourism offering and worth investing in. Further investment now supports the DNA of the tourism industry, enabling the industry’s ability to build back better with the high quality, regenerative tourism economy that we are all aspiring to.
“An investment in the industry by the Government at this point will be amply repaid in tourism’s renewed contribution to our economy and our communities.”
Mike Parker-Brown is a UK-trained and qualified journalist and an award-winning travel communicator with more than 30 years experience.
Since 2002, Mike has worked as a freelance writer and PR consultant providing his services to major organisations in Australia and internationally in the tourism, aviation, hospitality, recruitment and export marketing sectors.
