Associate Tourism Minister Chris Tremain this week met 15 Mackenzie-based tourism operators around Tekapo, after he was invited to tour the area by Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean. He said he had been ''pleasantly surprised'' by the increase in visitor numbers to the area's tourist attractions.
''The minimum [reported] was up 20%, and the maximum up about 50%, year on year.''
He said while tourism operators had not reported record-breaking numbers, they were ''significantly'' improved on previous years.
Despite having scrapped its own RTO, in favour of joining the Canterbury and Christchurch Tourism organisation, the Mackenzie had not lost its own local identity, he said.
''The Mackenzie district made a pretty tough decision around their original tourism organisation just two years ago, basically to unwind their own RTO and work in conjunction with Canterbury,'' Mr Tremain said.
''But speaking with the mayor, it has been a successful decision, and I guess the proof is in the increase in tourism numbers that they are continuing to get.''
He added that tourism was a key driver of the rural economy and said that was one of the reasons behind the Government's $2.75 million investment in the Alps 2 Ocean cycle trail.
After riding a 20km section of the ride on Wednesday, Mr Tremain, who is a keen cyclist, said the A20 trial was ''right up there'' among the best of the Government's 23 National Cycleway/Nga Haerenga trails.
''It was a stunning ride.''
He said it would ''take some time'' before the cycle trail made a real impact on the local economy, but added that there had already been an increase in the numbers of people riding bicycles on the trail and in the surrounding area.
Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said Tekapo and the Mackenzie were experiencing ''extraordinary growth'' in tourism, but the removal of red tape and better ''infrastructure'' around tourism were two issues that needed to be addressed to encourage further growth.
''The comments I was most interested in with the meeting with industry professionals in Tekapo were the issues around immigration, accessing enough workers to come in for varying roles that are needed in the area.''
Mrs Dean said she would speak to immigration minister Michael Woodhouse to examine how some of the ''unnecessary delays'' surrounding working visas could be dealt with.
''It is something that I think we need to address as a government to make it easier for people to do business, which means making it easier for them to have access to workers and not be un-necessarily held up by visa requirements.
''Accommodation for workers is also a growing problem for Tekapo and that area.''
