Levy won't materially reduce tourist numbers and the money will help, says minister

Monday, 5 November 2018

High hopes for tourism strategy.

The $80 million that will be raised each year from a levy on overseas visitors will help 'protect the things that make New Zealand special', Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis says.

The Government has released a draft strategy to handle rising visitor numbers and confirmed it would evenly split income from the new $35 visitor levy between developing tourism infrastructure and conservation initiatives.

'For too long, we have been trying to get more and more visitors and 'marketing' ourselves as a destination, instead of 'managing' ourselves as a destination,' Davis said.

He expected any drop off in visitors resulting from the tourism levy would be 'negligible'.

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But Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said tourism could no longer remain 'solely focused on growing value by simply attracting more visitors'.

'Iconic' sites such as Milford Sound, Mt Cook, Tongariro National Park, Cathedral Cove and the glaciers of Tai Poutani were becoming 'busier than ever', creating challenges for the Conservation Department, she said.

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'Other parts of New Zealand are keen to see more visitors and enjoy the benefits of their spending.'

International arrivals have grown by a million in the past five years putting the Government under mounting pressure to help better manage the squeeze on infrastructure and the negative impact on some communities.

Davis said annual visitor numbers were expected to grow further, from 3.8 million now to 5.1 million by 2024. Some visitors, such as Australians and most Pacific Islanders, will be exempted from paying the levy.

Launching the draft Aotearoa-New Zealand Government Tourism Strategy on Tuesday, Davis said it was important to manage the challenges that tourism brought along with its economic benefits, and the Government would be taking a stronger leadership role in the sector.

Tourism pressure on favoured spots, like Tekapo's Church of the Good Shepherd, has prompted the Government to come up with a national plan to handle future visitor growth.

'This strategy proposes a more co-ordinated and active role for government in tourism, to make sure growth is productive, sustainable and inclusive – improving New Zealanders' lives and supporting thriving and sustainable regions,' he said.

The main aim was to enrich New Zealand through sustainable tourism growth, improving Kiwis lives and spreading the benefits across regions.

A draft tourism strategy acknowledges there is a perception that the character of some of New Zealand's best loved places - like Cathedral Cove - may be changing as visitor numbers rise.

Sage said sustainability was a cental part of the strategy, and money from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy, due for introduction next year, would help protect New Zealand's unique natural, cultural and historic heritage.

The draft strategy emphasised the need to cater for tourism growth via secure funding and to ensure those who benefited from infrastructure contributed to its costs.

Davis said it would also influence how money from the levy was spent, and the Government would develop an investment plan with input from conservationists and organisations with an interest in tourism.

Other priorities included addressing the seasonal nature of tourism employment, looking at the impact of climate change on tourism, supporting the development of authentic Māori visitor experiences, and encouraging responsible camping.

Public consultation on the strategy closes on February 4.