Govt pitches in $3.8m for new tourism projects

Deputy Editor - Business·NZ Herald·

20 May, 2014 10:30 PM2 mins to read

FULLY FOCUSED: Riders descend a track in the Whakarewarewa Forest. PHOTO/DAMIAN BREACH

Six tourism projects have been awarded $3.84m by the government as part of its Tourism Growth Partnership scheme.

Prime Minister and tourism minister John Key said those getting the money were matching it with $23 million of their own funding.

Those getting the funds range from support for Auckland Airport to spend on marketing in China's Guangdong province to an adventure park in Christchurch.

Key made the announcement old the TRENZ tourism trade show in Auckland this morning.

Under the growth partnership, the Government has made $32 million available over four years to support projects that will create new opportunities and overcome barriers to growth in the tourism sector.

The Government will provide up to 50 per cent of the total funding required for the projects.

A second round of funding is now open for applications and will close at the end of the month and the successful projects will be announced later this year.

This week's TRENZ show comes as New Zealand tourism operators face increased competition from other countries for their slice of the $1.6 trillion of spending by international travellers.

Other countries, notably Australia and the United States, are investing heavily in promoting themselves to the world. And while the number of tourists coming here has recovered since the global financial crisis, the average amount each visitor spends has fallen over the past decade, which has been worrying tourism chiefs.

Tourist Industry Association chairman Grant Lilly said earlier this week that New Zealand operators could not be complacent because of the growing competition. The bar keeps on going up, others are getting smarter at doing things differently.

See details of all the new projects announced today here:

Christchurch Adventure Park:

Auckland Airport - Guangdong Project: