Last week the government announced its plans to ramp up a wealthier economy through tourism and increased immigration.
With the country yet to reach international visitor numbers comparable to pre-2020, when Covid kicked in, newly minted Economic Development Minister Nicola Willis said the plan is to smooth tourist visa requirements, boost overseas marketing, examine how the international visitor levy should be spent, and work with airlines to ensure tourism continues to grow.
Tourism Waitaki general manager Philippa Agnew said the announcement did not necessarily account for the impact of higher numbers of visitors on districts like Waitaki, as seen before 2020.
"It’s all very well saying we want more people, but there’s two sides to that.
"How is that going to happen? Who’s going to do the marketing? Because the regional tourism organisations struggle with funding nationwide."
Waitaki mayor Gary Kircher said the focus should be on getting those tourists visiting New Zealand to extend their stay for more quality spend — as opposed to just maximising numbers.
"Is it just focusing on marketing overseas, or is it actually looking at how they can add value to a lot of what we’ve already got here in New Zealand?
"It’s really important for places like ours, that people have time to get to and spend some time in the Waitaki District," Mr Kircher said.
Waitaki’s tourism drawcards, such as the Whitestone Geopark, Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail and Victorian Heritage Precinct, did not generate direct tourism income.
"They benefit the accommodation providers, tour operators, the bus companies and so on.
"But how does it actually come back to help pay for some of the key infrastructure that councils provide?"
Encouraging slow tourism where people stayed for a few days to enjoy its attractions, rather than being a quick stop was more valuable to the district, he believed.
The council needed to improve the infrastructure used by tourists without further burdening the ratepayers.
But whether the district might get a share of the new overseas visitor levy to aid that was as yet unknown.
"Discussions we’ve had with the government have been around the visitor levy and how it can be shared more equitably.
"It’s things like making sure there’s enough funding for toilets along Alps 2 Ocean and at Geopark sites and not all just falling broadly on ratepayers."
Mr Kircher said Waitaki had a "good level" of infrastructure, but it was challenged due to the seasonal nature of tourism in the district.
"What we’ve got allows us to cope with very good numbers during the peak season and the shoulder seasons, but it’s then not utilised enough in the offseason."
Dr Agnew, who is also the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony science and environmental manager, said the government also needed to prioritise the environment given the potential impacts of more tourists.
"We’ve got wildlife species that are on the brink of extinction, like our hoiho [yellow-eyed penguin], that need to be better supported.
"There needs to be more support also for the Department of Conservation because tourists are coming here to see our landscapes and wildlife."
