The incoming minister told a tourism summit yesterday the industry should sell itself as a destination for the wealthy when borders re-open.
Nash told Radio NZ’s Morning Report there was built up demand from wealthy travellers, while backpackers and freedom campers would not be the target market.
“Gone are the days as far as I’m concerned where you hire a cheap van that is not self-contained,” the Hon. Mr Nash said.
While those who visit Waikanae beach will readily agree with Mr Nash that el cheapo tourists who hire vans to go touring around NZ have a propensity for shitting the place up and those who are on a KCDC-Boss-sized salary don’t, this must pose something of an ideological quandary for the Labour Party’s traditional supporters who have been brought up believing that it’s a party which wants everybody to be equal?
Having spent most of my life devoted to tourism, as a manager and director of two airlines that used to bring some 3000 tourists a week to New Zealand, I have to say Stuart Nash is, for want of better words, “out to lunch”. He obviously has no idea or concept of how or what tourism does for this country. I have no doubt that he will become another minister that will eventually have to be moved on.
Like housing it is necessary to first analyze and understand the market before making pronouncements that give you publicity but ignore reality. !0,000 thousand houses?…. get rid of thousands of tourists?
These backpackers and camper van visitors not only use and pay for facilities but in many instances also work in those low paid sectors that are desperate for labor. I know that the industry will ignore him but his sort of nonsense does more to hinder than help us in these difficult times.