14 projects get tourism infrastructure funding

Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett today announced 14 tourism infrastructure projects around the country will receive $3.05 million in government co-funding support.

Through the new Regional Mid-sized Tourism Facilities Grant Fund, projects ranging from toilet facilities in Tekapo to innovative rubbish removal compactors in the Coromandel will be funded, Mrs Bennett says.

“We received a number of high quality proposals for infrastructure projects that will help ensure tourists have a safe and enjoyable experience while visiting some of our most popular spots,” Mrs Bennett says.

“The tourism sector is experiencing exceptional growth, and this fund has been set up to help communities respond to and benefit from increasing visitor numbers, by building new and enhanced facilities.

“Applicants were required to demonstrate demand for the proposed infrastructure and what priority they were placing on the project based on co-funding – criteria designed to ensure the funding would go to those communities most in need of support.”

The fund is part of a wider suite of initiatives that form the Government’s tourism strategy, which supports the tourism sector to reap the benefits of growth while managing the pressures this places on communities and infrastructure.

Budget 2016 allocated $12 million over four years for the Regional Mid-sized Tourism Facilities Grant Fund, which co-funds core facilities used by tourists and enhances the experience they have while visiting.

“This year’s funding is now fully allocated due to the quality of applications and obvious demand,” Mrs Bennett says. “The Government still expects there to be a second round of funding in 2017, using additional funding.”