Southern mayors say they are grateful for a $178 million tourism infrastructure package but a tourist levy is still needed as the New Zealand tourism boom puts overwhelming pressure on areas such as Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago and the Waitaki.
The money - comprising a $102 million Tourism Infrastructure Fund and $76 million for the Department of Conservation (Doc) - was announced yesterday by Tourism Minister Paula Bennett.
The TIF is made up of $60.5 million in new money from this year’s Budget and $41.5 million in reprioritised funds from other government tourism funds.
It will provide funding over the next four years for projects such as new car parks, toilets and freedom camping facilities, to be co-funded by local councils and other community organisations.
The Doc money is to upgrade and develop tourist facilities on conservation land and expand the great walks network.
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult said he was "delighted" with the funding and applauded the assistance now available.
"The Government has listened to us ... She [Ms Bennett] said she’d deliver in the short term and she has."
However, a tourist levy was still needed to fund the maintenance and operation of facilities built through the new government fund, which was for capital works.
"We need an enduring model, and an enduring model in my view is a visitor levy of some description which is relative to the number of visitors in a specific area and recognises the pressures on local authorities."
Mr Boult said there were various projects for which the Queenstown Lakes District Council might now seek assistance, including roading and public transport.
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher also said he was thrilled the Government had recognised it needed to help local government deal with tourism infrastructure issues.
"The Government is starting to get serious about the problem we have."
He also still wanted a visitor levy introduced and said it was the "most fair way" to get a contribution from those using tourism facilities.
"It’s not about [local authorities] getting out of paying, it’s about making sure there is not disproportionate load on local ratepayers."
Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan - who last week sent a letter to Prime Minister Bill English signed by him and five other southern mayors, asking for a tourist levy to be introduced to tackle the issue of irresponsible camping - said he was pleased the Government had listened to "the many voices that have called for a significant boost to funding for tourism infrastructure, especially in the lower populated regions".
He stopped short of saying he still wanted a tourist levy, but said "once the current four-year time span [of the new fund] is coming to a close, there will need to be discussions held regarding what remains to be done and where the money for that will come from".
Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay, who has previously said he backs the introduction of a tourist levy, issued a statement saying the new government funding recognised tourism growth was greater than had been anticipated.
Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said she had also been lobbying ministers "to get some action", and the new money would go "a long way towards relieving the pressure some communities have been experiencing with the tourism boom".
