Search

The first round of the new $100 million Tourism Infrastructure Fund has attracted 43 eligible applications, says Tourism Minister Paula Bennett.

Some of New Zealand’s finest tracks are set to become part of a new network of Great Short and Great Day walks, Tourism Minister Paula Bennett and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry have announced.

Tourism Minister Paula Bennett is calling on councils to apply for co-funding from the new $100 million Tourism Infrastructure Fund which opens today.

Budget 2017 invests $100 million over four years for the development of visitor-related public infrastructure such as carparks, freedom camping facilities and sewerage and water works.

“Councils with infrastructure needs caused by high visitor numbers should be getting their applications in,” Mrs Bennett says.

The Government is contributing up to $3.2 million to help grow the West Coast visitor economy, Tourism Minister Paula Bennett, Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry announced today.

“Growing the West Coast visitor economy is a priority of the action plan. The region has significant potential to increase the appeal of its natural and heritage assets, adventure-based attractions, and cycling and walking trails,” says Mrs Bennett.

Tourism Minister Paula Bennett today announced the panel for the new $100 million Tourism Infrastructure Fund to help local communities respond to increased visitor numbers.

The panel will be responsible for assessing proposals and recommending a package of infrastructure projects that best aligns with the Government’s priorities for the fund, Mrs Bennett says.

Minister of Tourism Paula Bennett today announced the appointment of Jan Hunt and the reappointment of Chris Parkin as members of the New Zealand Tourism Board.

Mrs Hunt is a director at Skyline Enterprises and Jumping New Zealand. Previously she was a Board member of the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce and worked as a General Manager at Millbrook Resort, Sky City Hotel & Convention Centre, and Millennium Queenstown.

Tourism Minister Paula Bennett and Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges today announced that the Government will provide $160,000 to support tourism strategy projects in Canterbury.

The announcement was made as part of the refresh of the Canterbury Regional Economic Development Strategy. 

“The region is also developing a visitor strategy that will help grow a sustainable tourism industry that ensures Canterbury becomes the gateway to the south,” Mrs Bennett says.

Tourism Minister Paula Bennett has today announced $5.2 million in co-funding for sixteen councils around New Zealand. Councils from Queenstown to Whangarei will receive funding for 28 new tourism infrastructure projects that include include toilets, showers and parking facilities.

Projects were funded through the second round of the Regional Mid-sized Tourism Facilities Grant Fund and provide support for councils with high visitor numbers and small ratepayer bases, says Mrs Bennett.

New Zealand’s tourism sector is forecast to grow significantly over the next seven years, with international visitors projected to spend $15.3 billion a year by 2023, Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

Figures from the New Zealand Tourism Forecasts 2017-2023 released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), show the real value that tourism will continue to have to New Zealand’s economy.

Tourism Minister Paula Bennett has today announced a new $102 million Tourism Infrastructure Fund which has been launched alongside $76 million in new funding for our most important tourism asset, the DOC Estate.

“Tourism is hugely important to New Zealand. It creates jobs and brings in billions of dollars to the economy. That’s why it’s important that we keep investing so we continue to attract high-value tourists and give them an amazing visitor experience,” Mrs Bennett says.

Plans for a new multi-million dollar cruise ship berth released today by the Lyttelton Port Company will open up new tourism opportunities for Christchurch, says Tourism Minister Paula Bennett.

The $56 million dollar berth funded by the Christchurch City Council through its port company will enable large cruise liners to return to Lyttelton for the first time since the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

A new international agreement will focus on attracting high-value Chinese visitors who stay longer, spend more and travel independently says Tourism Minister Paula Bennett.

The 2019 China-New Zealand Year of Tourism initiative was announced today by Prime Minister Bill English as part of an official visit from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

Tourism Minister Paula Bennett has thanked Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) for its tourism wish list worth $1.4 billion but rejects that most of these should be funded by Government.

LGNZ yesterday revealed details of a survey commissioned by Tourism Industry Aotearoa, which identified $1.4 billion of local infrastructure projects that might potentially be useful in responding to ongoing tourism growth.

Applications are open for up to $5.5 million in extra funding to help regional communities respond to visitor growth through new tourism infrastructure, Tourism Minister Paula Bennett announced today.

An additional funding round for the Regional Mid-sized Tourism Facilities Grant Fund has been made available in response to the high quality and number of applications received in round one.

Tourism Minister Paula Bennett today announced $2.49 million in Tourism Growth Partnership funding for new tourist attractions in Rotorua and Southland.

“These initiatives will provide real benefit to their regions, creating new tourism offerings and more local jobs,” Mrs Bennett says.

An $870,000 support package will promote tourism in Kaikoura and other upper South Island districts impacted by last November’s earthquakes.

The funding will help bring in more international visitors for the 2017/18 peak season following a challenging summer, Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

“We remain 100 per cent committed to the people of Kaikoura and the top of the South Island following last year’s devastating earthquakes,” says Mrs Bennett.

Tourism spending over the summer high season continued to grow in most regions, providing jobs for regional New Zealand, Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

According to the latest Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), the fastest growing region in the year to January 2017 was Nelson, which increased 14 per cent to $344 million, followed by the West Coast up 13 per cent to $495 million, and Otago up 11 per cent to $3.5 billion.

Communities around New Zealand are continuing to benefit from steady growth in international visitor spending, which reached $10.1 billion in the year to December, Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

The latest International Visitor Survey results from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) released today shows that visitor spending is up 4 per cent over the same period in 2015.

A new marketing campaign starting this week to attract Australians to Northland is an excellent approach to encouraging tourists to visit the region, says Tourism Minister Paula Bennett.

The campaign – ‘Every day a different journey in Northland’ – is part of Tourism New Zealand’s regional dispersal strategy and acts as a test to refine techniques for marketing less visited regions.

Nearly every region across New Zealand experienced strong growth in tourism spending this summer, Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

According to the Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), the fastest growing regions in December were the West Coast and Taranaki.

In the year to December the fastest growing region was Nelson, which increased 15 per cent over the year to $340 million, followed by West Coast, up 13 per cent to $488 million and Otago up 12 per cent to $3.5 billion. 

Tourism spending continued to grow throughout most regions in the year to November 2016, providing a solid base ahead of the high summer season, Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says.

According to the Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), tourism expenditure grew in most regions over the year to November 2016. The fastest growing region was Nelson, which increased 15 per cent over the year to $337 million, followed by Otago (up 14 per cent to $3.5 billion) and West Coast (up 11 per cent to $475 million).

Acting Tourism Minister Paula Bennett today announced $199,500 in funding for public restroom facilities at Springs Junction following the Kaikoura quakes.

“This popular rest stop is facing increased pressure from re-routed traffic,” Mrs Bennett says.

“Following the Kaikoura earthquakes, traffic on State Highway 65 south of Murchison and State Highway 7 between Reefton and Waipara has increased significantly.

Economic Minister Steven Joyce and Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett announced today that $158,000 is being committed to a visitor economy project as part of the Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Action Plan. The Plan has a key action to develop a collaborative regional tourism framework that supports growing the visitor economy to $2.5 billion by 2030.

Tourism spending in the regions was again strong in the year to October 2016, reflecting the Government’s commitment to support regional tourism growth.

According to the Monthly Regional Tourism Estimates released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), tourism expenditure grew in all regions over the year to October 2016.