Bluff to play strong role in Southland's tourism strategy

Wednesday, 20 November 2019

The Anchorage Cafe and Golden Age Tavern owner Hank Low said anything maritime related on Bluff was popular with tourists.

Bluff is about to become a major focal point of a new tourism strategy that hopes to attract a $1 billion spend by 2025.

At a function in Invercargill on Wednesday, the Southland Murihiku Destination Strategy was unveiled for the first time and Bluff, which is the gateway to the Stewart Island and the Sub-Antarctic Islands, is about to get a tourism revamp.

Foveaux Hotel owner Michael Van Der Watt said people struggled to stay in Bluff more than one night with the number of attractions on offer.

The two projects include Bluff Terminal Tourism Development Hub and the Bluff Southern Marine Discovery Centre.

The Bluff Terminal Tourism Development Hub would be adjacent to the current terminal and would act as a venue, which could include an Oyster World visitor experience and monthly seafood markets.

Great South have released the Murihiku Destination Strategy which has set ambitions of reaching $1 billion in visitor spend by 2025, launched at a breakfast function held at Transport World on Wednesday morning. Pictured, from left, Great South general manager Steve Canny, chairman Ian Collier, interim chief executive officer Ann Lockhart, tourism and events general manager Bobbi Brown, business services general manager Ben Lewis, and general manager of finance Tim Mackay.

A new strategy has proposed to develop a tourist hub adjacent to the Bluff Stewart Island ferry terminal.

* Destination strategy a priority for Southland Regional Development Agency

* Southland tourism revs up to earn $1 billion by 2025**

The hub would also offer the potential for a theatre offering narrative on the seafood and fishing industry, along with a cafe and retail outlet.

Great South tourism and events general manager Bobbi Brown said the proposed master plan would co-ordinate what the Invercargill City Council and Bluff Community Board had been working on.

Bluff was strategically an important place because of its location, Brown said.

It was also an 'amazing place' to visit, Brown said.

Bluff businesses owners reacted favourably on hearing the news about the developments planned for the seaside town.

The Anchorage Cafe and Golden Age Tavern owner Hank Low said tourist numbers had been growing in the past year, so a further push with more attractions would only be better for business.

Anything to do with maritime was popular with visitors, so developing a Bluff Southern Marine Discovery Centre was bound to be a popular attraction, Low said.

Bluff Maritime Museum curator Trish Birch said a lot of small towns die off so it was positive Bluff was going to be regenerated.

Other high priorities for Southland to take advantage of the tourist dollar was to develop boutique eco-accommodation, the Maruawai Precinct Development in Gore and continuing work with Destination Fiordland as tourism numbers in Milford Sound continue to soar.

The Maruawai Precinct Development has received $1.6m in funding from the growth provincial fund, which includes a redevelopment of the Hokonui Moonshine museum and a heritage centre.

Another goal was to increase the number of nights tourists stay in the south and to attract a niche tourists that were environmentally conscious but prepared to spend money.

This year Destination Fiordland welcomed about 1.8m visitors and about 1.3m visitors came to Southland.

The overall forecasted tourism spend in 2019 for the Southland was $458m, while the Destination Fiordland forecast was $249m.

The strategy hopes to reach the $1b tourism combined spend goal by 2024.

Great South chairman Ian Collier said it was important to acknowledge the story of Te Waka O Aoraki [Māori mythology that describes the formation of the South Island] and Southland, particularly Bluff Hill - which represents the stern of the waka.

'It's really important, we as Southland, step up and it's not the end of State Highway 1 … it's the … beginning.'