We have to maintain supporting native tourism

OPINION: One of the many silver linings we found in this entire cloud of covid was the opportunity to play in our own tourist backyards with no international visitors.

A silver lining for some, but a huge black cloud for part of the tourism industry, especially those focused solely on the international market. Iconic tourism spots and cities like Queenstown and Rotorua are feeling the effects and with another lockdown this week there are no signs of relief.

But many of the other regions were booming. It took me six hours to make a four hour trip to Napier this past weekend and almost had to rebook my house to pay for the accommodation. Hawke’s Bay Tourism didn’t look like it was suffering.

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Kayaking tours in the Abel Tasman National Park are one of the attractions that kiwis are now getting the most out of.

So far, the industry has been supported by the general corporate wage subsidy and a tourism fund, the criteria of which were confusing and questionable enough to be subject to review by the general auditor.

CONTINUE READING:
* * A Pick’n’Mix Abel Tasman National Park Getaway
* * Kiwi tourists demand a better deal from the local industry
* * The tourist influx from Abel Tasman encourages operators, but clouds on the horizon

Kiwis had fun enjoying their country, but now the school is open and a brutal year awaits the operators.

Last week the government said tourism would no longer be supported and its only hope of a trans-Tasman bubble is being rolled back as cases of Covid surfaced.

What is the industry doing to survive?

MARTIN DE RUYTER / STUFF

After the decline of international tourism due to Covid, Fran and Daniel Huelsmeyer stopped running a lodge and started building tiny houses.

Kiwis will be in the market for quite some time so the challenge for operators will be to appeal to us to keep the business going until the borders are opened.

However, companies like inbound tourism companies, whose bread and butter provides itineraries for international visitors, have little choice but to close their doors until the borders are reopened.

Incidentally, lowering the price is not a long-term option, although I was grateful for the discounts that allowed me to experience five-star lodges only at a staggering price, not a megabuck price.

Not to mention the top notch food, service and drinks that I have experienced.

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We must continue to support local tourism companies so that they can survive the Covid-19 downturn, writes Cas Carter.

But we’re a poor substitute for the thousands of visitors who streamed off buses and cruise lines every day, sometimes paying three times the fees of a local.

I don’t have to be a clairvoyant to predict that more tourism companies will hit the wall this year.

The question is, are New Zealanders interested in an industry in dire straits.

Well, I am anyway. It’s an industry I’ve worked in for over 15 years. It has created jobs, grown regions, brought in a pile of foreign exchange and thousands of visitors, and contributed to the country’s GST take.

The fact is that we are enjoying our country right now because the increase in visitors has helped develop our cities. You would have a short memory if you didn’t remember the pre-tourism boom when it was difficult to find a decent cafe in the regions or a shop or place to stay open on Sundays.

Stuff

While the Auditor-General examines the handling of tourism subsidies, not all operators want the money that has been offered to them.

On the flip side, there are fewer queues at attractions, no drama about freedom campers, fewer RVs on the streets, and no hoard of cruise ships filling the streets. I’m sure there are a lot of people who say they like this.

But we also need the tourism industry in the long term.

So this year make sure you keep taking advantage of the silver lining Covid has given us and support tourism to prevent companies from closing their doors.

Perhaps take a week or two to explore the country instead of just a couple of long weekends.

After all, we may be trapped, but we are trapped in Godzone. Let’s enjoy it.