A key figure in Dunedin's tourism industry has blasted the performance of Enterprise Dunedin, saying it has been an ''unmitigated disaster'' and change is needed.
But the Dunedin City Council says it is already planning an independent review of its in-house economic development and tourism unit, which could open the door to the creation of a new external agency.
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull told yesterday's 10-year plan hearing the council was about to begin reviewing the ''framework around Enterprise Dunedin'' and the city's attractions.
The move came as Larnach Castle director Norcombe Barker, addressing the hearing yesterday, took aim at the council's decision to replace Tourism Dunedin with its own in-house body in 2014.
The change had heralded a dramatic drop-off in the performance of the city's tourism sector, highlighted by domestic and international visitor spending data, he said.
He showed councillors two graphs from the New Zealand Tourism Dashboard, comparing the total domestic and international visitor spend across New Zealand with that in Dunedin.
Both graphs showed a divergence from 2014 to 2016, following the creation of Enterprise Dunedin, as national spending surged ahead of that in Dunedin, Mr Barker said.
The gap between the lines represented ''tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars'' in lost revenue for the city and its businesses, he said.
''Enterprise Dunedin has been an unmitigated disaster for tourism in Dunedin.''
Mr Barker told councillors he had attempted to raise concerns in the past, including when he tried to arrange a briefing for councillors as the chairman of Dunedin Host.
He arranged for Tourism Industry Association chief executive Chris Roberts to attend, but was blocked from attending himself, by Enterprise Dunedin, a week before the meeting.
A review of Enterprise Dunedin planned for 2015 had not happened, nor had a promised tourism advisory board been created, he said.
To progress, the city needed to stop ''selling itself as a cheap destination'' by advertising ''free products'' like Baldwin St, embrace the tourism strategy 2025 Dunedin Tourism, and ''take tourism out of council'', he said.
If it did not change, the city would be poorly positioned when the inevitable downturn in the ''cyclical'' tourism industry came, he warned.
''I beg you to take these steps. People's businesses and jobs rely on it.
''It is a very vulnerable position to be in.''
Council chief executive Sue Bidrose said the council would call for tenders next week from independent parties interested in carrying out the review.
The work would be ''the review we said we would do - it's just late'', she said.
However, she also took issue with some of Mr Barker's comments, saying Tourism Dunedin had also been the subject of complaints before its functions were moved in-house.
Cr Christine Garey also took issue with Mr Barker's figures, saying there had been significant growth in spending by domestic tourists (up 137%) and international visitors (up 52%) from 2014 to 2018.
Mr Barker remained concerned figures for the past year, showing 2% total growth in tourist spending for Enterprise Dunedin's patch, still put Dunedin near the foot of the ladder.
If that trend continued, Dunedin would slip down other rankings over time, he said.
Cr Garey asked for councillors to be briefed on the latest tourism statistics before the council began deliberations on its 10-year plan.
Enterprise Dunedin director John Christie declined to comment after yesterday's hearing.
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Funny that 'Cull told yesterday's 10-year plan hearing the council was about to begin reviewing the ''framework around Enterprise Dunedin'' Ooooohhhhh, he was about to get around to it. Cull how about you review your position as Mayor what you are adding to Dunedin not taking away from it as you do and have done Also include the Framework of your Zimma Frame. I could say Cull would be out of his depth in a puddle but that would be unfair because puddles are deep in Dunedin because the lack of accountability and upkeep of drains by council, the same council you work on .