Australian investment could be good for NZ tourism

Australian investment could be good for NZ tourism

Media Release – for immediate use. 23 May, 2007

New Zealand should be seizing opportunities to work with Australia when it comes to promoting and growing our tourism industry, say the organisers of a New Zealand ecotourism conference.

More than 200 delegates from New Zealand and overseas are expected to attend the Ecotourism in New Zealand conference in Greymouth, on the South Island’s West Coast from 1-3 August.

Closer co-operation between Australian and New Zealand is on the agenda at this year’s event, hosted by Tai Poutini Polytechnic and featuring Ecotourism Australia chairman Alastair McCracken as a keynote speaker. Mr McCracken will discuss standards and benchmarking for ecotourism businesses.

Ecotourism NZ chairman Brian MacKenzie says the takeover bid by Australian-owned MFS Living and Leisure Group of Tourism Holdings is an example of how Australia and New Zealand can work together.

While he cannot comment on the specific case, on a broader scale New Zealand should be looking for opportunities to work alongside Australia when it comes to tourism promotion and management.

“At a time when Australian and New Zealand tourism interests are coming closer together and an Australian company is set to make a substantial investment in the New Zealand tourism market, it is worth acknowledging that, in relation to ecotourism, the two countries can leverage off each others’ strengths,” Mr MacKenzie says.

“It’s an important component of ecotourism ventures that they are locally owned and operated. However, many visitors to this part of the world treat Australasia as one destination, so there is real potential for creating networks of operators in each country that can market each others’ products to their customers.

“Already, much of what we offer sets world benchmarks, but we have to work hard to maintain this. If we combine, and work to our strengths we can provide a diversity of ecotourism adventures for others on the world stage to compete with.”

Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the New Zealand tourism industry, with 2000 to 3000 new jobs expected to be created in the next five years.

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