Funding for three new tourism projects

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key today announced the Government is investing in three new projects to help boost tourism in the regions.

“Tourism is a significant part of our economy and a major employer,” says Mr Key. “Under the Tourism Growth Partnership, the Government is investing $8 million per year to support innovative projects that will create new opportunities in the tourism sector.”

The new projects are:

• $2.5 million for Te Puia, for new facilities at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute in Rotorua, including a new bone, stone and pounamu carving school, a ta moko (Maori tattoo) studio and a taonga gallery.
• Just over $1.2 million for Timber Trail Adventures Limited for the development of an 80-bed lodge located at the halfway point on the Timber Trail cycleway at Piropiro in the Waikato.
• $500,000 for Queenstown Bungy for an innovative world-first bungy launch system at their Nevis site.

“The Government has now invested $14.6 million in 22 projects. This is in addition to the applicants’ contributions of $44.3 million, giving a total $59 million investment in the tourism industry,” says Mr Key. “We want to attract more visitors to New Zealand and projects such as these will help us do that.”

More information is available at: http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/sectors-industries/tourism/tourism-growth-partnership