Boosting Tourism

National to boost tourism recovery to help economy

National will support the struggling tourism sector by investing in regional events, delivering critical infrastructure, and improving access to staff.

Under Labour, the economy is struggling, the cost of living continues to rise faster than wages, food prices are at a record high and mortgages and rents are unaffordable. National will rebuild the economy and manage it well so we can all get ahead.

Tourism is one of New Zealand's largest export earners, and the money it earns helps New Zealand pay its bills and afford the public services on which we all rely.  

However, a combination of the pandemic and the Labour Government have taken tourism backwards. More than a year since borders re-opened, visitor numbers and tourism jobs have not fully recovered. High inflation, high interest rates and broken immigration settings have punished the tourism and hospitality sectors, pushing many small operators to the brink.  

National will deliver practical and sensible support to make our beautiful country even more attractive to visitors, so tourism operators – including those in the regions – can get on with delivering world-class experiences and hospitality and growing their businesses and the economy.

National’s plan to boost tourism

  1. A new Great Walk at Waiau-Toa/Molesworth in Canterbury to attract more visitors to this special part of New Zealand.
  2. e-bike chargers on the NZ Cycle Trail to make it accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels.
  3. Longer term DoC concessions to provide certainty for tourist operators to invest in unique experiences on the DoC estate.
  4. Better access to workers with more flexible working holiday visas and fast visa processing.
  5. Contestable funding to support the promotion of regional events outside major tourist destinations.
  6. Delivering critical infrastructure – like roads, housing and an EV charging network – to allow tourism to grow sustainably without overwhelming local communities.

Read more about our plan here.

 

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