More visitors staying longer and spending more money is the aim of a strategic plan to more than double income from tourism in the Waitaki district.
The aim is to increase tourism income from $120 million to $277 million a year over the next 10 years by increasing visitor numbers from 383,000 this year to 520,000, length of stay from an average 1.56 nights to 2.5 nights and average spend from $194 a night to $277.
The Waitaki District Tourism Strategy 2025 - ''a framework for developing the Waitaki district tourism industry'' - has been prepared by Tourism Waitaki for the Waitaki District Council.
It was accepted as a draft by the council at its meeting this week for final confirmation on December 10, to allow the public time to comment.
Tourism Waitaki consulted widely in the industry, and at Omarama, Kurow, Duntroon and Palmerston to prepare an action plan on how to further develop tourism.
It found a clear vision of what was desired - a broader, more mature industry that escaped the worst of seasonal valleys.
Tourism Waitaki general manager Jason Gaskill said the strategy built on what had been talked about for the past two years and provided a framework so everyone was heading in the same direction.
While setting goals, it also allowed people to do what they wanted.
''It's doing more of what we are doing now.
''Waitaki is really a fantastic place tourism-wise. We want to encourage more people to visit, stay longer and do more activities,'' he said.
Since 2009 there had been a 29% increase in visitor numbers and a 4.6 increase in length of stays.
The strategy identifies four keys - developing infrastructure, a consistent market, trade ready (those who can deal with wholesalers) operators and selling itineraries.
''Although one of the smaller regional tourism organisations, Waitaki boasts some of the best and easy-access natural attractions in the country,'' the strategy said.
The intention now was to take advantage of the relatively small size of the region, refocus international attention on its remote and compact nature and present a crisp, clear message that visitors could do and see anything New Zealand had to offer by visiting the district.
''... in two hours, a visitor can go from the alps to the ocean, and experience everything New Zealand has to offer in between.''
Waitaki ''would become something bigger and better'' by developing products based on its small but crafted stature and selling them, capitalising on its personality which could not be replicated nor challenged by any other region.
The draft strategy will be on the Tourism Waitaki website.
