KEY POINTS:
Auckland will not meet its potential as a visitor destination without generous, long-term government funding, says property developer David McConnell.
McConnell, who heads the Metro Project's "visit Auckland" workstream, says support from Wellington is essential if Auckland is to be a world-class visitor destination.
"The key player in the visitor sector is the Government," he says. "The Government has long acquired its role in transport and other infrastructure. It has to acquire a role in destination infrastructure."
McConnell says Auckland's visitor industry is fragmented.
"The key thing we have done is to get a good idea about the road map - the key steps we need to take over a 10-year period to get where we want to go. We say: What do we need and how much will it cost us to get there?"
He says for Auckland to develop as a visitor destination, the Government has to view funding, say, a world-class convention centre as an investment, not a cost.
Good work is being done by Tourism Auckland and others but it needs to encompass the whole region, he says.
"The regional approach won't work unless there is strategic support from the Government."
When the Metro Project was launched nine months ago, McConnell said just over $1 billion should be spent in the next four years on building infrastructure such as a Rugby World Cup venue and an exhibition and conference centre. He estimated an additional $6 billion could be brought into Auckland over the next decade on the back of $1.1 billion invested on various infrastructure and investments.
The "visit Auckland" workstream has yet to report recommendations but McConnell says it is making good progress.
One suggestion is to increase the departure tax for visitors leaving Auckland International Airport to help pay for the additional infrastructure.
McConnell has gained strong support from Air NZ, Tourism Holdings, and Sky City as well as from Government and local body agencies.
The Metro Project action plan called for a world-class sporting venue, high-speed transport links and a national convention centre.
The first, a revamped Eden Park for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, is under way thanks to Government support and agreement reached between the park developers and local residents.
Support for a waterfront stadium, spurred on by initial Government concerns over Eden Park's suitability for the World Cup, fell away.
There has also been progress on high-speed transport links, including double-tracking parts of Auckland's elderly rail network and agreement in principle on electrification in the long term, but more work is being done to assess the region's ability to handle an influx of rugby fans in 2011.
The appointment of Rachael Dacy as Auckland City's group manager of city events is aimed at maximising the benefit Auckland will receive from sporting events.
Auckland City is also working on a project to develop a national convention centre - a project McConnell says needs major Government funding.
