Tourism operator calls for Southland District mayor to step up

Friday, 30 October 2020

Lake Hauroko in Fiordland, Southland. A Fiordland tourism operator wants his mayor to do more for Te Anau.

A Te Anau tourism operator wants his mayor to step up, saying the town has been left high and dry by the Southland District Council.

The council will redirect $200,000 of operational funding that used to go to Destination Fiordland, to Great South, a regional development agency.

Fiordland jet co-owner Chris Adams, attended a Destination Fiordland meeting on Thursday about the redirection of the money.

Te Anau had been left high and dry by the council, Adams told Stuff.

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Chris and Sue Adams and Jerry and Kelli Excell own Fiordland Jet.

However, mayor Gary Tong said Great South was a council-controlled organisation, something Adams may not understand.

Adams was less concerned about the money redirection itself, as he was hopeful the money would still end up with Destination Fiordland.

Adams main concern was what he considered a lack of leadership from Southland District mayor Gary Tong.

Destination Fiordland had been advised by the council that on expiry of the current funding agreement on June 30, 2021, future funding for tourism in Fiordland would be allocated through Great South.

The Southland District Council provides the operational funding for Destination Fiordland.

In an email sent to Destination Fiordland members on Tuesday, organisation manager Madeleine Peacock says “there could be significant implications for Destination Fiordland as we know it”.

Peacock said last week that 'domestic tourists spend differently. Kiwis are known to love their good wine and food” but were less keen to spend on activities.

Tong said while some businesses were struggling, some big accommodation providers were happy with averages stay numbers at the moment.

“Maybe some people don’t want to go on a jet boat,” Tong said.

Tong said he worked hard for Southland, advocating to government ministers whenever he could and as part of the Mayoral Forum, which Gore District mayor Tracy Hicks chaired.

Adams said if Te Anau did not start getting marketed by Tong, it could be a case of “the last business leaving Te Anau, turn the lights out” in 18 months.

Tourism-reliant Te Anau has been struggling since Covid-19 border restrictions were put in place earlier this year.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive Stephen England-Hall told Stuff last week that Kiwis simply could not make up for the lack of bigger-spending overseas visitors.

Adams said Te Anau needed a voice and leadership.

He wants Tong “to step up”.

The town needed someone “rattling the cages in Wellington” for government funding and support, Adams said.

Tong said the suggestion he was not leading was one person’s opinion and totally incorrect.

Also, the Fiordland Community Board chair Sarah Greaney and deputy mayor Ebel Kremer had been heavily involved and were working hard, Tong said.

Tong had taken a week-long break from public engagements as his partner had cancer surgery.

Kremer was at the Destination Fiordland meeting but directed questions to Tong.