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ISSUE 1,062

Enough is enough, says TEC after Tekapo visit -

February 25th, 2016

Let’s take the “free” out of freedom camping, says president TEC supports taking “free” out of freedom camping. Tekapo people are tired their parish Church of the Good Shepherd and surrounding environment are being taken for granted and abused by visitors, says president Martin Horgan.

“Our visitors have a heavy impact on the environment in New Zealand. This will only become more apparent as numbers grow.

“Some of this impact is on DoC estate, but much sits outside of this where local councils and rate payers are unable or unwilling to provide services and facilities for visitors who in many cases contribute nothing to those local economies,” he tells IT.

INSIDE Government’s 23 fresh water initiatives - pg4

“Every night around the country freedom campers, staying for free, make and leave a mess and their contribution to our economy is negligible.”

The church and Tekapo Community Board have asked TEC for help in advising visitors in advance to respect the church and to suggest how they can manage and enhance the experience for all visitors.

Luxperience’s diamond sponsor is TNZ - pg7

“We visited a few weeks ago and our main recommendation was to move the carpark across the bridge and charge for parking and bathroom facilities,” says Mr Horgan.

“International visitors are well used to paying for car-parking at attractions and toilets and we shouldn’t be afraid to ask them for a contribution. If they are put off by this, then they are likely the type of visitor we neither want nor need.”

Speaker’s Corner by Jon Walsh - pg8

Tekapo has a small ratepayer base of four hundred homes so this is a common sense user pay approach, he says.

Adapt and attract, Coasters told - pg9

“This would allow more landscaping and beautification of the site. Ultimately we need a timely solution for the church and community which would mean funding assistance from central government as it would take too long to go through the Long Term Community Plan process at council level if the proposed developments and enhancement of the area are to proceed.”

Wild About NZ by Lou Sanson - pg6

Two golds for Langham - pg10 “Share your success Kiwis” pg11 Auckland record - pg12 Focus on...Taranaki - pg13 Key meets Aussie trade - pg17 QF’s amazing year - pg18

The church is primarily an operating parish and not a tourist attraction. Inbound tour operators and coach and rental car companies are being encouraged to share with prospective clients that this is a place of worship and should be treated as a place of reverence by all who visit. “That is the message we are emphasising to our members,” Mr Horgan says. “Our visitors need to respect this. TEC will certainly play its part.”

Freedom camping has become a major bone of contention in the Mackenzie District, with residents and district councillors expressing concern over potential health hazards caused by public defecation and rubbish dumping. (to pg3)

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Pages Past 20 years ago in IT...

THE biggest headache facing the industry this year will be the slowdown in our traditional English speaking markets and coming to grips with massive growth out of North Asia, says TIA CEO Paul Winter. While people like to deal with those they feel comfortable with no one can change the dynamics of the markets of origin. NZ has to put its money where the best returns are.

Rather than copping flak for criticising PATA’s structure NZTB (now TNZ) CEO Ian Kean should be commended for raising the issue, says Massey University’s visiting fellow Tony Staniford. “It is pleasing that Ian has grasped the nettle of PATA’s structure which has for some time been struggling with the concept of who wags what.”

The industry should be gently moved away from the perception Maori cultural tourism begins and ends at a half-hour hotel hangi and concert, says Aotearoa Maori Tourism Federation CEO Roanna Bennett. If the industry promoted other Maori product this would be just as popular with visitors.

15 year ago in IT...

TNZ and TIA are doing good work but they aren’t effective in telling people about it, says former Tourism Minister John Banks. The industry needs a “cheerleader’ of the calibre of former TIF (now TIA) chairman Rodney Walshe. “He was one of our greatest and he came from the grassroots. The publicity machine isn’t as well oiled as it used to be,” he says.

AirNZ recorded a $1.1 million loss for the six months to December 31.

But a $29.5 million tax credit boosted the net profit to $3.8 million, down from $127.2 million last year.

The TIA Tourism@Work road show starts at Waitangi this week before heading as far south as Queenstown and Dunedin.

A great leap backwards to the worst parochialism of the 1970s. That’s how Hastings Tourism Facilities Trust CEO Lance Bickford describes a Napier City Council committee warning it may stop supporting Tourism Hawke’s Bay. Conservation Minister Sandra Lee say the government is redressing the imbalance in our parks and reserves by adding more tussock grasslands to the steepland forests and mountain tops.

Korean Air is pulling out of Christchurch at the end of this month.

10 year ago in IT...

KIWIS view trips to Australia as domestic travel so the industry needs to regard the east coast as an extension of our own domestic market, says TIA CEO Fiona Luhrs. Tourism Minister Damien O’Connor agrees. “Australia, which is effectively a domestic market, is probably the best area to concentrate our efforts as a nation,” he says.

The industry is going through a period of “normalcy” and consolidation, says TIA chairman Geoff Burns. Industry/government relation have never been better.

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(from pg1) Tekapo Community Board member Stella Sweney has raised concerns about visitors leaving rubbish and human waste at the photogenic site.

She urged the government to take action when she addressed Conservation Minister Maggie Barry and Environment Minister Nick Smith in Tekapo on Saturday.

Ms Sweney says an email from TNZ states it wants to dramatically increase the number of backpackers coming to NZ who first visit Australia.

“Australia gets thousands more backpackers than NZ and they wish to leverage off this.

Church chairman Phil Brownie, TEC member Rainer Heidtke and church minister Andrew McDonald

“It is a numbers game and they see it as not their concern as to where they stay when they get here,” she says. “TIA, on the other hand, has Steve Hanrahan saying they support campers staying in registered camp groups. There is a mismatch here that needs exposure and clarification.”

TEC board member Rainer Heidtke from Terra Nova Coach

Tours says: “Let us ensure our visitors have a really good experience. We have been building a reputation overseas for more than 15 years that in NZ you can travel and camp everywhere for free.”

He says it is time to change this. “I understand that in Picton more than 50 percent of the campers want to camp for free and regard it as their right. More are travelling just in cars and vans with no adequate camping facilities at all - just sleeping bags and stove for cooking.”

* Visitor numbers to the Tekapo church have reached a million a year, with two million through traffic and there are isecurity, safety, pollution rubbish and defecation issues.

* Church officials estimate there is a growing trend for visitors to be at the site after dark too, for nighttime photography.

* Of the million visitors 30 percent arrive by coach, 30 percent in rental campervans and the rest in rental cars.

* The immediate surrounds of the church are so crowded grass cannot be grown. * Overnight freedom campers are running amok and becoming aggressive when asked to move on.

* At times the environment is spoiled by over enthusiastic visitors trying to take the perfect photograph and not respecting the rights of others.

* Official wedding photo sessions are spoilt by visitors keen to get photos of the bride and groom and at times abuse their privacy and rights.

* Wedding parties are arriving before and after hours for photographic shoots but not paying for the privilege

Mayor invited to sleep among freedom campers TASMAN District mayor Richard Kempthorne has been invited to sleep among freedom campers who are annoying Motueka residents. Gail Jewell, says she’ll rent a campervan so he can see what the problem is. Ms Jewell was referring to the town’s North Street car park by the saltwater pools at Motueka.

There some freedom campers have strung out washing, bathed naked in the pool’s shower, made a lot of noise and left rubbish, she tells stuff.co.nz.

“These people don’t pay for their rubbish service but we, the ratepayers, have to pay for ours and their rubbish service as well. Freedom campers also had free use of our water.

We, the ratepayers, pay for our water and oh yes, we are also paying for theirs.”

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Government announces initiatives to improve water quality THE government has announced 23 initiatives designed to improve the quality and management of fresh water.

“There has been a terrible decline in river quality over the past 15 years.”

They include making some dairy and pig farmers fence their stock from waterways by July next year, with a gradual roll-out to dairy support farms by 2025, and all beef and deer farms by 2030. People who do not comply could face instant fines.

It’s unrealistic to make all farmers comply sooner, as fencing off thousands of kilometres of waterways would come at a big cost, says Environment Minister Nick Smith.

But Labour’s Environment spokesman David Parker says the plan paves the way for water quality to worsen, with government having the right to veto water conservation orders.

“I find it astounding that it’s going to be 2030 - a decade and a half away, before we get our dairy beef and other beef cattle out of our rivers.”

Mr Parker said there had been a terrible decline in river quality over the past 15 years.

“I’m a person who swims in rivers, I go tramping; some of the rivers I used to swim in are much dirtier now and under this prescription they’ll get dirtier still.”

Irrigation New Zealand said more immediate action was needed, especially on water infrastructure, for the economic development of many regions.

The Maori Party says the report’s opening line on iwi rights and interests is playing into the hands of the ignorant. The chapter begins with the statement that no one owns the water.

“Most people don’t understand what Treaty rights to water are or why they exist,” says co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell. “It’s an unhelpful starting point for public discussion.

“Iwi have discussed these issues in good faith with the government for the past seven years. The public should be encouraged to understand the nature of those rights rather than resorting to slogans.”

The document acknowledges the Waitangi Tribunal recognised that hapu and iwi have proprietary rights to control access to and the use of local waterways.

People need to understand others already have water rights that amount to ownership, says fellow co-leader Marama Fox. “Local councils already grant 30-year water rights to others. We’re not talking about Maori rights. We’re talking about commercial rights to farmers, wine growers and companies that bottle water for sale.

“These companies get allocated water free, they use it, abuse it and make a handsome profit from it. There are negligible requirements for them to look after the water they profit from. It’s corporate welfare. How they’ve managed to get away with it for so long is beyond me,” she says.

Rivers and lakes should be swimmable and central government needs to hurry up to enable it, Green Party spokeswoman Catherine Delahunty says. “Measures announced are a recipe for more dirty water and a disappointment to many people around the country who want swimmable rivers. “If the water standard continues to be ‘wadable and boatable’, our rivers will continue to deteriorate.” (to pg5)

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(from pg4) She calls for a national moratorium on dairy conversions to protect areas such as Waikato lakes and rivers and the Mackenzie Basin, and reduce fresh water pollution.

“The Green Party would make swimmable rivers the national standard.”

“The Green Party would make swimmable rivers the national standard and set rules that are clear and achieve the improvements that are so desperately needed,” she says.

“The consultation document may sound like a step forward but it is in a context of weak overall standards that do nothing to protect the birthright of our children to swim in clean water, let alone the restoration of our native fish species.

“The touted Irrigation Acceleration Fund is not helping the country’s waterways. It is instead leading to further dairy conversions. This is not helping the country’s waterways.

“Allowing such a long time lag for the fencing of all stock out of waterways shows which side this government is on. Our waterways can’t wait until 2030 to have protection.”

Ms Delahunty says the proposed fines are only useful if they’re enforced. “What confidence can we have that fines will be issued?

“The government has also failed to recognise Te Tiriti o Waitangi and has relegated iwi and hapu rights as a ‘right to have a say’.

“These freshwater announcements are an opportunity lost. Clean water is not a ‘nice to have’ but an essential of life.”

Fish and Game CEO Bryce Johnson says, overall, the document will weaken existing environmental protection and is a smokescreen to hide backdoor efforts to undermine the RMA and Water Conservation Orders.

The consultation document puts forward more than 20 proposals the government says will improve New Zealand’s freshwater quality. Public submissions are now being invited.

But Mr Johnson says it is an attack on the environment and the value of natural freshwater.

“When you look beyond the rhetoric, this document is all about furthering water-based development at the expense of the environment. There is no solid reference to recreation, food gathering or making rivers swimmable.”

He says the document is a win for agriculture and a defeat for the environment.

THL makes $8.2 million profit in past six months THL made an NPAT of $8.2 million in the six months to December 31, a rise of 45 percent over the previous corresponding period. The company remains on track or ahead of its target based on current performance, says chairman Rob Campbell.

“The strategic review conducted last year indicated the business would look to grow NPAT to $30 million by FY2019 and we remain on track or ahead of that target based on current performance. The new initiatives are progressing and the business continues to explore acquisition growth options internationally, which would be incremental to the $30 million target.”

“We are pleased to update the year-end forecast NPAT to around $24 million, reflecting the positive operating environment for tourism here in New Zealand and overseas,” says CEO Grant Webster. “The peak season is under way and operating to plan. From a debt perspective, the company is operating well within its own benchmarks. We have changed the manner in which we report fleet capex spend to provide improved investor understanding of how we have created more flexibility in the business model.”

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WILD ABOUT NEW ZEALAND

Maintaining the quality experience “’Natural landscapes and scenery’ is the top factor for influencing visitors to choose New Zealand, and we achieve strong satisfaction of our environment and environmental management.” - TNZ’s International Visitor Experience Monitor.

I’VE been lucky enough to visit many of our tourism hot spots over the past couple of months to see first-hand how DoC staff members are helping facilitate what looks to be our busiest-ever season.

The Milford Development Authority predicts that Milford Sound will receive more than 600,000 visitors this year, up from a previous record last year of 500,000. We are expecting about 100,000 walkers on the Tongariro Crossing this season, and numbers are up across the board again on our great walks. Pleasingly, we are also seeing growing visitor numbers in some of our more remote destinations such as Northland and the Catlins.

This is a great result for New Zealand and also for conservation. Visitors, local or international, allow DoC to engage more people with the value of protecting our natural environment.

Surveys show that the satisfaction ratings for our environment and the outdoor experience we offer are high. Our job is to continue to keep delivering that high-quality visitor experience.

by DoC director-general Lou Sanson

Over the past few years we made some big investments in some of our highprofile visitor destinations - Milford, Aoraki, Tongariro, Queenstown, Franz Josef, Marlborough, Coromandel and Northland. Projects include flood defence, track, hut, road and campsite upgrades, additional toilets and car parking facilities and new visitor centres.

As visitor numbers increase, there has been some discussion recently about how best to ensure the appropriate investment in our recreation assets, particularly the network of tracks and huts we manage. One of the issues I’ve asked my staff to look at is our hut fees - our legislation clearly precludes DoC from charging for access to our national parks or tracks. But we can - and do - charge for huts and camping. It’s not a full “userpays” system but the fee income helps support some of the more than $80 million we spent on huts, tracks and campsites last year. It’s these charges I want my team to look at. Discussions are at an early stage but we are working closely with the tourism industry and tourism officials on what our options may be.

Another area where we are also working closely with the industry is around ways to better spread the pressure points across our wider network and regional New Zealand.

While the Milford Track may now be fully booked, there is certainly no shortage of incredibly beautiful, out-of-the-way places in New Zealand that have ample capacity.

Our marketing, through our award-winning affiliation with AirNZ, and operations teams are already working to push visitors to take advantage of the shoulder seasons, get into the regions and off the beaten tracks.

I’m particularly keen to see an increase in tourism dollars channelled into regions such as Rakiura, the West Coast - let’s get more cars turning right to Westport from Lewis Pass - and Northland. Initiatives such as the Old Ghost Road near Westport, winter biking on the Heaphy, the Timber Trail in the Central North Island, Te Paki Coastal Track in the Far North, and the Aotea Track on Great Barrier Island are all great examples of this. (to pg7)

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WILD ABOUT NEW ZEALAND

(from pg6) Improvements to our website and safety systems are reinforcing this work.

So too are the many partnerships DoC is involved with that serve to restore and promote destinations across the nation. Cape Sanctuary, Project Taranaki Mounga, Project Island Song in the Bay of Islands, Pigeon Island Restoration Project in Dusky Sound and Friends of Flora in Kahurangi are a small fraction of these commendable projects.

Other initiatives have been enabled by DoC’s community fund, which was set up in 2014 to inject $26 million into community-led conservation projects over four years. Funding includes $500,000 towards the maintenance and enhancement of back country facilities by the New Zealand Recreation Consortium and $80,000 towards the completion of the Kawatiri River Trail at Westport Harbour.

It’s an exciting time for us. Promoting and accommodating visits to our wild coasts, mountains, forests, rivers and lakes is a key part of the department’s work and presents a unique win-win for conservation and our economy. We need to manage these natural and cultural treasures with, and on behalf of, the industry and the New Zealanders to whom they belong.

TNZ is the diamond in Luxperience’s crown TNZ is Luxperience’s diamond partner for the annual luxury trade show, being held in Sydney from September 18-21.

It will continue its familiarisation programme with the support of AirNZ and is working with its premium suppliers to provide a programme that will have the luxury global buyers attending Luxperience actively immersed and engaged with the New Zealand luxury products.

“Luxperience is a key event on the luxury travel trade calendar that we have supported since its inception five years ago,” says director trade, PR and major events, René de Monchy.

“Ahead of the event we will host a select group of luxury travel sellers in New Zealand, showcasing some of the amazing luxury product available and enabling them to experience it first-hand, hopefully resulting in their endorsement of our premium offering.”

“Our partnership with TNZ truly embodies the Luxperience philosophy and brand values,” says Luxperience sales and partner alliances Eric Lewanavanua. “It’s a privilege to work with the New Zealand tourism industry to help foster inspiring, meaningful, connections for some of the world’s most inspiring travel products and experiences.”

Contact: beinspired@luxperience.com.au.

TPP good for tourism, says McClay TOURISM and forestry are big winners once the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) comes into force, says Trade Minister Todd McClay. Regional New Zealand will reap the benefits of TPP with economic growth and jobs.

“The TPP sends an important message to 800 million people in 12 TPP countries that New Zealand is open for tourism and open for business. The agreement will improve market access for New Zealand travel companies and tour operators, particularly those seeking to operate in Canada, Japan, Mexico, Peru, and the US,” he says.

“It will also improve the ability of business people to secure visas in a timely and transparent way, which will encourage business and international trade.

“The regions of New Zealand should be celebrating TPP. As I travel around New Zealand I will be celebrating their gains under this agreement with them.”

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SPEAKER’S CORNER

The Authentic Tourist FOR a long time, tourism academics have been interested in the concept of authenticity of tourism. The thoughts behind the studies of authenticity have been centred around whether the site or sights the tourist consumes is authentic. This is, perhaps, an offshoot of cultural tourism, where destinations have been developing the local historical culture for the purpose of touristic consumption. Around the world there are many pertinent examples. England has the Tower of London, Venice has the Piazza San Marco, the emerging destinations in Asia have the night markets, the traditional dresses and foods and a range of concoctions placed and marketed strategically for the tourists with their dollars, euros and pounds. Herein lies the debate, if the true rationale for maintaining these sites/sights is for the revenue it brings, how sustainable can the authentic consumption be for future generations?

One particular moment encapsulated my tourism interests regarding studies around the authenticity of tourism. I have long had an interest in “dark tourism” and have examined several articles related to tourism consumption at Auschwitz, Ground Zero, The Killing Fields of Cambodia, and so on. Recently I watched the film The Railway Man, a true life movie about Eric Lomax, an ex-prisoner of war in Japan. Eric’s story is about revisiting his ex-prison camp and confronting one of his ex-guards who, ironically, works as a tour guide.

by PHMS senior lecturer, tourism and marketing Jon Walsh,

Upon reflection what I came to realise is that, while there have been long-held discussions regarding what constitutes authentic tourism, the real question should be, in my opinion, what constitutes the authentic tourist? Eric Lomax was an authentic tourist, as he has a 100% authentic connection with the POW camp thousands of tourists visit every year. But do these visitors care how authentic the camp is? Can they really have an emotional attachment to the atrocities that occurred there? The answer is undoubtedly.

Yet Eric Lomax is authentic in his grief, his anger, his frightened sense of mind. There is no question that “non-authentic” tourists should be welcomed at these sites. However, the author’s feeling is that they shall always have an “in-authentic experience”.

Dark tourism sites can perhaps have a closer connection to the concept of the authentic tourist though a person’s own emotional journey. However there are other forms where the authentic tourist typology could be shaped. A cricket fan could dream of travelling to Lord’s cricket ground to watch their team play. A Star Wars movie fan could visit Tunisia to see where the first of the trilogies was filmed. An appreciator of fine wines could save up for the once-in-a-lifetime trip to the vineyards of New Zealand, or of following an ancestral route by tracing a family tree.

How this would impact the tourism and hospitality industry is unclear. What is clear is that the industry is aware that, within the masses of tourist numbers who visit different sites/sights, some of these tourists may have emotional attachments greater and more important, than we, as an industry, understand. Therefore, the question arises as to how we can ensure those tourists are supported, mentally, physically and emotionally. This is a question of knowing your market and the distinct differences within it.

40,000 Kiwis buy beach ALMOST 40,000 New Zealanders who donated almost $2 million to buy Awaroa beach deserve the thanks of the nation for their generosity, energy and spirit, says Conservation Minister Maggie Barry.

“It’s been inspiring to see how the campaign reflected New Zealanders’ deep connection to our land and our desire to see it protected.” The government has given $350,000 from the Nature Heritage Fund. The pristine beach will be added to the Abel Tasman National Park.

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Adapt and attract more Chinese, Arlt tells West Coasters ADAPTING to meet the demands of Chinese visitors could have a huge positive effect for the West Coast economy, says COTRI director Prof Wolfgang Georg Arlt.

“The Chinese outbound tourism market has grown exponentially from 10 million border crossings in 2000 to a projected 151 million crossings for 2016,” he told the West Coast Development think tank in Greymouth last week.

Those visitors will spend an estimated US$220,000 million in 2016. That is potentially great news for the West Coast, given there has been an increase of more than 150 percent in Chinese visitors to New Zealand during the past four years.”

But New Zealand and the West Coast have to cater for the specific expectations of their Chinese visitors to benefit.

COTRI director Prof Wolfgang Georg Arlt

“Visitors from China regard travel as an investment rather than as a leisure activity,” he said. “The ability to travel brings prestige to the traveller and is a confirmation of status amongst their peers. “For the West Coast to take advantage of this aspect of the Chinese traveller’s motivation it needs to clearly articulate why it is a prestigious destination that offers the very best experiences in the world in niche areas such as hiking, bird-watching or other activities.

“There isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ Chinese tourist. Many Chinese travelers travel in multigenerational groups with grandparents, parents and children together, for example, so packages need to provide niche, bespoke offerings,” Prof Arlt said.

While visitors from China tend to be time-poor, they want their travel to be experience rich. They are more than happy to share their views about those experiences via social media at an unprecedented rate.

“Visitors from China are constantly commenting on their travelling experience via social media. Every part of their visit is under constant scrutiny. That means that, if they arrive in a town and there is nothing to do in the evening, that message will be communicated around the world and have an immediate impact on the desirability of coming to New Zealand and the West Coast for their friends and family back in China.”

The two-day think tank hosted by Tai Poutini Polytechnic was designed to share ideas about how education and training, in conjunction with the natural environment and tourism, can help grow the regional economy.

Industry dashboard launched MBIE has launched the New Zealand Tourism Dashboard, described as a one-stop shop for information about tourism trends and forecasts.

Discover NZ Tourism app launched AUCKLANDERS Gordon and Cathy Duncan, of Tuhura Ltd, have launched an app which contains 650 short geo-located video and animation clips, some in Mandarin.

Discover NZ Tourism allows 20 at a time to be temporarily downloaded for visitors to places where there is no digital signal.

“Four years ago our aim for Tuhura was to bring alive an accessible resource of truly rich local stories covering the length and breadth of New Zealand. With 650 clips now available along with 250 different tourism products, we’ve certainly got the resource.

Our business challenge now is to just get more and more people to download it. Even though it’s free, that is always harder than it sounds,” says Mr Duncan.

Visit: www.discovernztourism.com

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From far and wide they enjoy Jet Park “roof wetting” WORKERS from as far afield as Jamaica, Egypt and Bosnia have been working on the soon-to-be-finished 250-person conference centre at Auckland’s Jet Park Hotel. Their work was recognised by a “roof-wetting” barbeque.

Langham gains two gold awards HOSPITALITY Sales and Marketing Association International has awarded Langham Hotels and Resorts two gold awards for advertising and digital marketing excellence for its winning entries in the 59th annual Adrian awards, the largest and most prestigious travel marketing competition globally. These awards were bestowed upon Langham in recognition of its website, which launched in early 2015, and the Art of the Stay ad campaign.

Five to be based at International Rental Car Precinct FIVE vehicle rental brands are joining forces to return to the Christchurch CBD next year. Avis and its subsidiary Budget, Hertz and its offshoot Thrifty, and Apex are moving into the International Rental Car Precinct to be built on the corner of Manchester and Kilmore streets. The $10 million three-storey complex will be diagonally opposite the old St Luke’s church site and should be finished by May next year.

Cycling Aotearoa at leisure...

A new annual cycle tour will see riders cover 3,000km of New Zealand roads.

Dubbed Tour Aotearoa, the Cape Reinga to Bluff brevet had about 250 riders ready for its debut last Sunday. Organiser Jonathan Kennett says the term brevet means people ride at their own pace and stop when and where they like. Tour Aotearoa is not a race and there is no course.

AIAL passenger numbers still increasing PASSENGER movements rose 6.7 percent to 8.4 million, with international passengers, excluding transits, up 7.2 percent to 4.3 million and domestic passengers up 6.2 percent to 3.9 million, Auckland Airport chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden says in his six monthly report to December 31.

Revenue was up 11.6 percent to $280.6 million. Earnings before interest expense, taxation, depreciation, fair value adjustments and investments in associates increased 13 percent to $213.5 million. Total profit after tax was up 24.8 percent to $115.8 million while underlying profit after tax increased 18.6 percent to $104.1 million.

“Revenue growth was underpinned by strong retail performance, as well as favourable growth in aeronautical, property rental and transport income,” he says.

Glow on, post something overseas and show ‘em...

FOUR new postage stamps being released next Wednesday glow in the dark. “The stamps have been printed using glow-in-the-dark technology to replicate the effect of glowworms in the wild - simply expose them to sunlight and then step into a dark space to see the stamps light up,” says the Post Office.

“These long-exposure photographs were captured in limestone caves in the North Island,” says the photographer, Joseph Michael. “The 30-million-year-old formations form a majestic backdrop to the bioluminescence of the glow worms.”

The photographs shown on the stamps are of the following caves: Mangawhitikau, 80¢; Nikau, $1.40; Ruakuri, $2; and Waipu, $2.50.

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Kiwis should share their success story with the world - Poon Tip NEW Zealand has an amazing tourism story to share with the rest of the world. Its people should not be shy in sharing this on the world stage, says G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip. He says our visitor industry has gone through major changes over the past 15-20 years and was understandably insular for a time. “That was necessary at the incubation stage,” he tells IT. “I have been a keynote speaker three times at your conferences so I am interested in what is happening. You had to look at what you were doing and work with tour operators and develop your brand around how you wanted to present yourself to the world. So few countries do that well. But you do.

“I speak all over the world and use NZ as an example. NZ and Costa Rica are the two destinations that have successfully promoted themselves as natural destinations.

“Costa Rica has opened up to the world stage and joined the global conversation. It is time NZ came out and shared its expertise and knowledge, specially with some of the poorer emerging destinations, which they can actually help.

G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip (left) and National Geographic Society President and CEO Gary Knell.

“The whole idea of globalisation and being present to promote NZ as a world-class destination is to be encouraged.”

NZ probably has the highest feedback from the average visitor, he says.

“Ask anyone in the world about NZ and they will say ‘it’s a beautiful destination. I’d like to go there.’ Considering the size of the country a lot of work and a lot of branding has been done to get you there.

“There are 100 countries around the world the size of NZ where potential travellers say they know nothing about it, or consider it boring and have no interest in going, Mr Poon Tip says.

“When I first came to New Zealand thee was a lot of conflict between the industry, the NTO and the government. New Zealand has since grown up. The conflict has gone and the country has joined the world stage. Good things are starting to happen. Do not throw away this opportunity.”

G Adventures and National Geographic co-brand THE arrangement between G Adventures and National Geographic sees the latter 127-year-old organisation co-branding its tours for the first time. New Zealand has 12 tours listed by the G Adventures website, of which two are National Geographic Journeys, a new range of trips with upgraded enhancements and unique National Geographic experiences.

G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip says National Geographic has never worked with a tour operator on a global scale before. The arrangement took two years to negotiate.

The new combined brochure arrived in Australia last week and is due in New Zealand soon.

“When we made the announcement the uptake was amazing with 15,000 brochure requests in the first 24 hours,” he tells IT. National Geographic Journeys is one of G Adventures’ nine travel styles. There are 650 tours available of which 70 are National Geographic Journeys with 1,000 departures in this the first year alone.

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Largest tourism year for Auckland AUCKLAND hosted a record total of 2.217 million international visitors during 2015, up nine percent on the previous year.

Business visits rose four percent to 208,300, with strong growth from China (up 10 percent), Japan (up 11 percent), Germany (up 32 percent) and Canada (up 16 percent).

The total number of holiday visitors reached 1.05 million in 2015, up 15 percent, of which 241,000 were Chinese, a rise of 37 percent and 237,660 were from Australia.

ATEED CEO Brett O’Riley

“The region has benefitted from another record year of visitor arrivals and spend,” says ATEED CEO Brett O’Riley. “In fact it’s been the largest tourism year in Auckland’s history, with the region solidifying its reputation as a recognised international destination.

“Recording 15 per cent growth in holiday visitors is an impressive jump. The increase has been led by China and Australia, but it’s great to see the return of the traditional high-yielding markets of Japan and the US.” New direct Auckland flights to Houston, Argentina and Dubai will attract further growth.

There are also extra flights from Malaysia and China by AirAsia X, Air China and China Eastern Airlines.

Oliver wants to zip around Kaikoura too ECOZIP Adventures of Waiheke Island has applied to DoC for permission to build a similar visitor experience at Kaikoura. MD Gavin Oliver has spent two years analysing the location. “We felt the same people who might enjoy coming to Kaikoura for the marine life might also enjoy learning about New Zealand’s flora and fauna.”

“It is a real opportunity employment-wise,” says Kaikoura Mayor Winston Gray. “It is land-based, which is what we have been looking for. It will provide great exposure for Kaikoura, I think people will seek it out.”

It would help turn Kaikoura into a three-night stay and had the potential to give other investors confidence in the town.

* Since opening in October 2012, about 47,000 people have taken a zip over Waiheke.

Regions a priority, says Bennett SUPPORTING regional tourism is a priority and an industry “where we can ensure we have got visitors going throughout New Zealand and that more can be done,”Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett has said in Parliament.

She said Economic Development Minister Stephen Joyce has announced $4 million in funding for the construction of the Hundertwasser Art Centre and gallery in Whangarei.

“What a great attraction that has the potential to be bringing people into that region and giving them another experience. I do not even need to talk about the cycleways, but why would I not?

“On top of the more-than-$50 million invested so far, we are seeing more of those visitors here going into greater regions in New Zealand, spending their money and having a fantastic time.”

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FOCUS ON . . .Taranaki

Where past and present become the future...

POSSIBLY New Zealand’s most contemporary hotel is also one of its oldest, dating back 125 years.

New Plymouth’s boutique King and Queen Hotel Suites is described as understated luxury, with edgy art designs with steel and leather giving some areas an almost industrial or Steampunk feel. Ultra-modern would be another way of putting it.

As a promotional leaflet says: “New Zealand’s towns and cities are typically remembered for their pubs and town clock, and sometimes for their churches. But the local pub becomes the most fascinating cultural vault: capturing the layers of local stories, the fashions over time and, in some cases, a large dose of notoriety.”

Above: GM Daniel Fleming by the impressive oil painting at reception and below showing a bag which will be filled with healthy breakfast goodies if guests leave it outside at night.

The White Hart, now known as the King and Queen’s Left Wing, is famous for its robberies and for being used as a hospital for British redcoats during the Maori wars, then becoming home to gangs, bandits and punks.

In 1893 the infamous highwayman Robert Wallath robbed the hotel with a pistol before sitting down and enjoying a drink (before being arrested, presumably). It was home to the Magog Motorcycle Club, whose members mingled with patrons from all walks of life while their gleaming bikes lined up outside.

The new owners have tried to create a precinct supported by industrial interior providing multiple experiences for guests.

These include Japanese meals, haute cuisine, freshly baked breads and pizzas, a beer garden and cocktails, all within walking distance. Across the road there’s New Zealand’s only ‘wow” factor building, the Len Lye Centre.

Arrive at hotel reception and you pass vast wooden doors from Alexandria in Egypt, where they used to welcome all and sundry to a police station. Behind the finely etched Moroccan desk is a large oil painting depicting a businessman walking towards a woman with a crown: walking towards the queen of the hotel. Ah yes!

French artist Julien Deligne has been commissioned to produce eight more pieces for the property.

To one side of reception is a large steel cabinet from Morocco. Floor tiles are from Italy, and the chandeliers and throws are from Morocco.

“Arrive and you immediately feel immersed in the Moroccan and European cultures,” says GM Daniel Fleming. “The owners, the Boddington and Macfarlane families, travel extensively. You feel as if you are overseas. A lot of locals stay because they feel they are living in France or Morocco and having a great getaway.

“The owners are in this for the long term. They are passionate about doing something great for the region.”

The property is the Taranaki hotel of choice on Tripadvisor.” We are popular and well received but we have not had enough rooms to cater for demand, which is a good problem to have,” he tells IT. (to pg14)

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FOCUS ON . . .Taranaki (from pg13) “The concept is a mix between contemporary and industrial design. We wanted to keep the heritage alive.”

Mr Fleming says Taranaki has an exciting future in tourism, with the Pouakai Crossing increasingly popular, as are the many public gardens, while events draw thousands to New Plymouth. “We are still relatively unknown, so when people get here and discover how spectacular Taranaki is they are blown away. It is exciting to be part of that growth.

As a hotel we are promoting Taranaki just as much as we are King and Queen.”

The property began with 17 suites, adding 10 new rooms a month ago. Rates range from $190-$600 a night.

During a tour of the hotel IT discovered local coffee and biscuits in all rooms, as well as kitchenettes or full kitchens. But guests can order room service from a range of nearby restaurants and cafes. There is free access to an adjacent gym and the aquatic centre is five minutes’ walk away.

Novotel with a difference NEW Plymouth’s recently-opened Novotel is the first of the brand franchise in New Zealand to be privately owned. And because it is outside the normal Novotel-managed hotel environment it can do things similar properties can’t.

“This gives us the freedom to push the boundaries in different areas,” says GM Sam Sherer.

Novotel GM Sam Sherer with a bed head board depicting a local scene.

“We want to be true to the province. For example, we are trying to bring the region into the building with the flow of local colours in the carpets, and we have local scenery painted on headboards by local artist Paul Rangiwahia” he tells IT. The hotel was built by local businessman Philip Brown and has created 50 jobs, including work for five PIHMS students recently graduated, with more opportunities expected later in the year.

There are only 85 rooms as against the planned 100 because the hotel borders on a residential zone and it was agreed to restrict the size of the property. The Waitangi Room can host conferences of up to 190 at banquet, while the Governor’s Eatery can seat 80 and 30 in the bar.

The hotel is popular with oil and gas industry executives, and some suites have selfcatering facilities for such long-term residents.

Mr Sherer says bookings are ahead of expectations and, with corporate contracts and a booming tourism industry, partly due to new Jetstar services between New Plymouth and Auckland, the future looks bright.

The Novotel is at the northern end of the city, close to the 101-room Devon and the 74room Plymouth.

A feature of the new property is a vast 150-year-old ombu tree that lords it over a vast outside deck and cafe.

The hotel owner agreed to respect the tree by building around it. “We had to stay so far away from it we call it our million-dollar tree for obvious reasons,” Mr Sherer says.

The ombu is said to be one of only two in New Zealand. No one seems to know who brought it here.

These trees need no more than 75cms of water a year to grow, which they

(to pg15)

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FOCUS ON . . .Taranaki (from pg14) do surprisingly fast. The ombu’s massive, fire-resistant trunks contain water storage tissue, an excellent adaptation for intense grassland fires, which are common in the pampas.

The ombu is also known as the “lighthouse” of the pampas, since it provides shade for gauchos and other people traveling through the grasslands. Sometimes the leaves are used locally for a hot drink. Locally as in South America, not Taranaki!

The timber is soft and easy to carve but that is not the wood used behind the hotel reception desk, where Venture Taranaki’s slogan ‘Taranaki, like nowhere else’ has been etched into the timber. This is another example of local co-operation and a sure sign this Novotel does things differently.

Novotel’s million-dollar ombu tree

Former cow town wants to become arts capital of New Zealand IT may have once been “cow town”. Now it is the energy centre. But New Plymouth’s future is in tourism. And if Terry Parkes, chairman of the city council’s art and public places committee, and Nice Hotel owner, has his way it will be New Zealand’s art capital as well.

“This is where the future lies - in tourism. I am passionate about New Plymouth but we have to reinvent ourselves because oil and gas is on worldwide downturn. Luckily people here have seen a gap in the art world. New Plymouth can easily become the new Bilbao.

Bilbao has the amazing Guggenheim.

“The Len Lye Centre is our main credibility in this field so if we have good, not trashy, product people will come to see our outdoor art as well. It’s started already,” he tells IT. “No longer are we seen as a small province in the colonies of NZ. Hicksville we ain’t!”

Mr Parkes says Taranaki people travel the world and, being a new country, Kiwis take to trends like ducks to water. “We are fresh, not steeped in tradition and few of us have blinkers on.”

His hotel is seen as a success because he says he keeps reinventing it.

Nice Hotel owner Terry Parkes

“They used to say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. I reckon if it ain’t broke break it and reinvent it because people are always looking for fresh ideas whether it’s food or art.

When I travel my antenna is constantly up looking for new things.”

The success of something like the Nice Hotel is in the personal but not intrusive hosting.

“I started 16 years ago and since then The King and Queen has opened, a nice contemporary boutique property. The new Novotel is a Novotel, but a very nice Novotel.

But what we do is more luxurious. The Nice Hotel is interesting and I have more rapport with people. They come here for the experience.”

New Plymouth is like that too with its quirky art in public places such as the Len Lye wand on the coastal walkway.

“We have just commissioned six other wind wands at East End and another major piece of public art outside the Post Office.”

Mr Parkes says Napier, Nelson and New Plymouth are in a triangle which

(to pg16)

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FOCUS ON . . .Taranaki “Much tourism product in New Zealand is under appreciated by Kiwis.”

(from pg15) enables the “three Ns” to swoop in on visitors returning to New Zealand for a second or third time.

Thanks to the support of the oil industry, there have been funds available for the purchase of public artworks.

“Don’t leave Town Till You’ve Seen the Country is the type of marketing we need.

There’s no good promoting New Zealand internationally until you get Kiwis coming here. And they have been since the Len Lye Centre opened last July.”

Much tourism product in New Zealand is underappreciated by Kiwis. He cited the Hamilton Gardens which he recently visited for the first time.

“They are magnificent but they have not been promoted enough. I was blown out of the water by how good they are. The same thing is happening here.”

Taranaki has many quality events, such as Womad, particularly during summer as well as the Festival of Lights which is fantastic, too. You can come any time, pick the experiences you want and marry them up with excellent accommodation packages.”

Locals work together. A motel will marry up with a restaurant or café and it all makes a visit here that much easier and friendlier because we all look out for each other. Word-ofmouth recommendations are working wonders. If someone has a good time he will tell 10 others. Three people is one, one, one which is 111!”

The Nice Hotel was a hospital for the redcoats during the Maori wars. In the 1900s it became a doctor’s residence and surgery and thus a grand home in the dress circle of New Plymouth.

Below: Venture Taranaki’s three cheeky roadsigns are spaced out so you feel guilty leaving the region!

Mr Parkes lived in the property nine years before taking his first paying guest. Five year ago he bought an art deco home next door and turned it into four self catering apartments. Two years ago he bought a contemporary villa behind, giving the property a total of 17 rooms. “So I have created a monster,” he says. “We can do or provide anything. Weddings are popular here as everyone can stay on site and as I am a celebrant I can even marry them in the garden.”

Mr Parkes is forever improving things as he wants to constantly delight his guests. “I have just done up one room with more chandeliers, more gold leaf, more luxury to please people. I don’t want to get into a price war during a quiet period. I’d rather have an empty room!”

Instead, unexpected extras such as laundry left on the floor in a room being washed, folded and left neatly on the bed for the guest’s return.

“Our guests always appreciate these things and I always remember what they like to drink and have a glass of their favourite tipple at the ready for when they come back. It’s also important to remember names.

“If you are spending money, you need to feel special and valued. Otherwise why not stay elsewhere?

“If I stay in a hotel less than three nights my do not disturb sign goes on from the minute I walk in. I never want room service or the downturn or a chocolate on the bed and the electric blanket switched on. “When travelling, have a few laughs. Don’t be serious or too critical. Certainly don’t be miserable. If you are travelling open yourself up. Be joyous, be nice, hence the name of my hotel. We leave the arts channel on for when people arrive in their room. Most of the time it is a symphony orchestra and to come into a hotel room with classical music playing is amazing. We like to be different in Taranaki!”

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Key meets Aussie trade PM and Tourism Minister John Key met major players of the Australian travel trade last week to discuss challenges and opportunities affecting the trans-Tasman tourism market.

Hosted by TNZ and AirNZ, representatives from Flight Centre, Helloworld, the Australian Federation of Travel Agents and Expedia covered a range of topics including the economic environment, changes in distribution channels and the aviation landscape.

PM and Tourism Minister John Key

“The group was particularly focused on making trans-Tasman travel easier, the commencement of night flights into Queenstown later this year and the potential for New Zealand to host bigger conferences with new facilities coming on line,” says TNZ trade, PR and major events director René de Monchy. “Our key stakeholders are telling us that New Zealand continues to deliver an outstanding visitor experience, which is why we remain the number-one international destination of choice for Australians.”

Arrival growth from Australia is strong and barriers to travel are low, he says. Australia accounts for nearly half of all holiday visitors to New Zealand.

“TNZ, AirNZ and RTOs place significant focus and effort on maintaining the position that Australia holds in our portfolio of target tourism markets – a focus that continues to pay off,” says Mr de Monchy.

Record year expected for Choice’s 30 NZ properties CHOICE Hotels had a 13 percent increase in RevPAR last year and is predicting a record 2016 for its 30 New Zealand properties.

An increase in business delivery of 53 percent has resulted in an extra 34,000 room nights. Increases driven by Choice via its website and contact centre has seen revenue more than double for some properties.

“We’ve seen an increase in domestic travel across New Zealand, which is likely due to the buoyant and stable economy ultimately driving an increase in leisure and corporate travel,” says Choice Hotels Asia-Pac CEO Trent Fraser. For January the chain has had similar double digit RevPAR growth. Travel from China in particular continues to perform strongly, with more FITs choosing to travel to regional areas.

“As a result, we’ve been able to contribute an additional 34,000 room nights to properties in the past year through all our different programmes,” says Mr Fraser.

Choice has announced a series of changes to its Choice Privileges (CP) guest rewards programme, which he says will result in increased travel.

“The Choice Privileges changes will ensure our loyalty programme remains relevant and important to our guests. Customer service is our highest priority, and these changes provide more value to our existing members.”

The company also recently launched its brand identity, Choice Hotels Asia-Pac, and a new direction as a result of a global rebrand by Choice Hotels International and after recognising a need to establish a new identity in an already crowded market.

“From extensive research we’ve learned that a lot of the reasons why our guests travel is to connect with people, not just travel to places,” Mr Fraser says. “We want to empower them with choices that help them more easily connect in person and offer them an environment that encourages them to spend more time making their face to face connections.”

Mr Fraser is optimistic Choice will experience a strong 2016 following its 2015 business success.

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QF had amazing year QANTAS’S underlying performance in 2015 was the best in its 95-year history through revenue growth, cost cutting and lower fuel prices, along with benefits from ending its damaging domestic war with Virgin Australia two years ago.

Underlying profit before tax rose 151 percent to $A921 million in the six months ended December 31, while net profit after tax jumped from $A203 million to $A688 million.

A record-breaking summer at Christchurch Airport and a stellar result from its seasonal service has prompted Qantas to expand its direct Christchurch to Brisbane service to run year-round from June. It will start three times a week, growing to four times a week over summer. This represents a more-than-four-fold increase in seats by Qantas on the route and is a great vote of confidence in Christchurch and the South Island, says chief commercial officer - Aeronautical, Justin Watson.

Students shying away from Christchurch?

INTERNATIONAL students and tourists are flocking to New Zealand, but many are steering clear of Christchurch, warns the Reserve Bank (RBNZ).

Canterbury’s education and tourism sectors aren’t showing the resilience seen in other parts of the country’s economy.

The RBNZ notes reducing student and visitor numbers to the region, amid a thriving construction sector, solid employment and buoyancy in the housing and retail markets.

Published by South Pacific Media Services Ltd PO Box 1464, Paraparaumu Beach Kapiti 5252, New Zealand.

Publishing and Research Editor : Nigel Coventry.

Phone: +64-4-2973131 nigel@insidetourism.com Member: PATA, TIA, Skal ISSN 1179-2418

Tourism Brand Index + 64.2

“In 2009, Canterbury University made up about 10 percent of nationwide international university student numbers. That proportion fell to about seven percent after the earthquakes and has yet to recover,” it says.

“Lincoln University international student numbers also fell after the quakes, from about four percent of nationwide international student numbers to about three percent.”

While international student numbers in these two universities have fallen by about 570 students since the earthquakes, the number of international students at universities in the rest of New Zealand is about 12 percent higher than in 2010.

The value of the international education sector increased to $2,850 million in 2014, from $2,600 million in 2012, making it New Zealand’s fifth-largest export earner.

The RBNZ notes domestic university students are also steering clear of Canterbury.

“In 2009, Canterbury University made up almost 12 percent of domestic university student numbers – that proportion fell to about nine percent after the earthquakes and has remained around that level, a loss of about 3,000 students,” it says.

“On the other hand, domestic student numbers rose at Lincoln, and have remained relatively flat across the rest of New Zealand.”

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