He was responding to questions during a panel discussion at the Inbound Tour Operators Conference about the future shape and size of Queenstown, attended by hundreds of delegates.
The mayor said there was tension between the scale and quality of development and Queenstown would look quite different if the Resource Management Act allowed for more development than it did now.
Mr Geddes said the district council had produced asset management plans that projected 10-20 years ahead when the Lakes District population would increase to 170,000 by 2026.
Because there was not enough money - or physical space - to widen roads, the majority of citizens would rely on buses, boats and taxis to commute to and from work.
Remarkables Park managing director Alastair Porter said supportive infrastructure was vital to the future of Queenstown and his 150ha commercial and residential development was there to integrate with other projects.
He complimented the airport terminal upgrade and NZ Ski's Coronet Peak base building revamp as key examples that helped sell the resort as a brand.
"We want high-value people and longer-staying people here. It's worth noting the east coast of Australia is a huge market for this town . . . We'd love to have Pacific Blue come here.
"We have to spend more money on marketing. Destination Queenstown has a tiny budget compared to other tourist towns."
Kiwi Discovery and Queenstown Rafting managing director Vance Boyd said Queenstown had experienced rapid growth in the past 10 years and there were now 7000 beds available and 13,000 in the wider district.
However, he said there had been a decrease in bed nights in the year ending last June and, with another 4000 beds coming on stream in the next six years, there was a gap between capacity and demand and it was one reason why members had approved an extra $1 million for Destination Queenstown.
Mr Boyd said it was inevitable there would be some consolidation of adventure activity companies in the next three years.
"Low entry costs encouraged 'me-too' operators but there are constraints on returns on investment that check reality."
Queenstown Airport Corporation chairman Mark Taylor said the terminal now had seven gates to operate from, which allowed for future growth.
About 700,000 passengers came through the airport per year and QAC could extend its hours of operation although it was bound by the District Plan to daylight hours, he said.
Galway Tourism Investment Group director of hotels Paul Evans said the four hotel chains involved in the Kawarau Falls Station development would market Queenstown to the world and triple the capacity of its largest conference centre.
Mr Evans said The Westin Queenstown hotel, due to open in late 2009, would answer the increasing conference market demand by seating almost 1000 patrons in its ballroom.
The three-stage mixed-use station was on course for completion by mid-to-late 2011 and would create about 900 jobs.
A public ferry service could link Kawarau Falls with Remarkables Park and the central business district.
Asia Pacific was forecast to welcome 25% of the word's travellers by 2020 and New Zealand was in a position to make the most of it, Mr Evans said.
