Part of being human is wanting to compare our everyday lives and existences with those of people elsewhere. We want to experience other cultures, see how they live, eat different foods, feel awe-struck by incredible mountains, glistening lakes and pounding seas, hear different languages and different histories.
Without travel, even over just a handful of kilometres, humans would be a much poorer species. Tolerance, understanding and knowledge are the consequences of interactions between different groups of people travelling beyond their comfort zones.
Not all nations of the world are endowed with immense physical beauty, fascinating cultures or incredible cuisine. Those spoils aren’t shared equally, unfortunately, which means some countries are much more in-demand as destinations for those with the money to be able to travel.
New Zealand is a beautiful country. Few could disagree with that. As well as its stunning scenery, it has mostly friendly and engaging locals, relatively good (on world terms) infrastructure, it is easy to get around, is small and largely uncrowded, has a fascinating history, and offers a range of experiences from the adrenaline-pumping to the more sedentary involving wonderful food and drink.
Why would you not want to come to New Zealand? Well, for one thing, it is a long way away from many of those with the money to afford international travel. It is also an expensive destination, with many visitors expressing surprise at the cost of food, accommodation and travel here.
Of course, it is also that distance which helps protect us from the worst excesses of tourism, keeping down the numbers of those who might not view New Zealand as a genuine destination to linger lovingly over, but rather just somewhere else to tick off their list.
It would be unfair of NZ Inc not to share its wonders with the rest of the world. After all, they don’t really belong to us. The onus is on New Zealanders to protect them and ensure we guard them for future generations.
In the South we know a great deal about tourism, about the good things it can bring and the bad effects it can have. As one of the country’s major tourist hubs, Queenstown has seen it all, especially how overcrowding and a lack of accommodation, for visitors and hospitality workers, can affect lives and livelihoods.
Little surprise really, then, that the coalition government has now decided to take a blunter approach. It has come out with a tourism plan which is wholeheartedly a push to simply bring as many visitors into the country as possible.
In recent days, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and several ministers have been announcing their policies to increase tourist numbers and get them spending.
Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis didn’t sugarcoat it: "I’ve great faith in our tourism providers that they’ll do everything they can to get as many dollars out of those back pockets as possible."
For the same reason, the government has announced it will loosen visa requirements for "digital nomads". Those visitors will be able to stay here for up to nine months, spending more money while they keep working for their overseas employers.
During the Covid-19 lockdowns and border closure there was much discussion by those in the sector about how New Zealand could do tourism smarter when the world became normal again. That was reflected in the Labour government’s cautious approach.
We are certainly supportive of initiatives to continue boosting regional tourism. It is a no-brainer in terms of building the economy of the South and ensuring the region remains a relevant and stimulating destination.
However, we need to ensure this does not just become some kind of gold-rush bonanza with the government opening the floodgates to all.
We do not want chaos and misery unleashed on residents and visitors alike, particularly in high-demand parts of Central Otago.
