Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), the peak body for the tourism industry is welcoming the government’s new commitment to support infrastructure development
New Zealand’s Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key has announced a new US$ 12 million Regional Mid-sized Tourism Facilities Fund to help communities fund some of their smaller infrastructure needs that enhance the visitor experience.
TIA chief executive Chris Roberts has been invited to be part of a working group that will help set up the application process and funding criteria for these grants. Roberts said that he expects strong interest from around the country in accessing the fund.
“The US$ 12 million commitment is a good start, and I am sure there will be no shortage of worthy projects coming forward. If presented with enough sensible investments that provide a long term return for New Zealand, there will be good reasons for government to look at adding to the initial funding,” said Roberts.
“The tourism industry is experiencing unprecedented growth levels and delivering enormous benefits. But we know that some regions, especially those with small rating bases, face funding issues in responding to a sudden jump in visitor numbers. This government fund can enable the most urgent and deserving investments to be made more quickly, so that regions and communities can properly cater for their visitors and enjoy the benefits of tourism,” he added.
Roberts informed that the industry’s updated growth framework – Tourism 2025 – Two Years On – gives increased attention to capacity and infrastructure development, to ensure New Zealand has the facilities needed for sustainable tourism growth.
“If tourism is to achieve its aspirational goal of US$ 41 billion in annual revenue by 2025, it’s vital that the industry, central and local government are making well informed decisions to invest in new tourism infrastructure,” commented Roberts.
