Mr Joyce, who was in Oamaru yesterday for a ''temperature check'' with local businesses, said he spoke to Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher twice in 12 hours about ''a couple of plans''.
''I think the mayor's on to it when he talks about the attraction side,'' Mr Joyce said.
''It's about 'How do we persuade people to stay in Oamaru another night? What extra facilities can we add besides the penguins and the historic precinct? What's the next thing that stretches their visit another day?' That's the sort of stuff that we need to help them with. That's what the Tourism Growth Partnership is all about.''
On August 18, the Government announced half of its annual Tourism Growth Partnership funding for infrastructure and aid for starting businesses would be devoted to regional projects.
Established in 2013, the contestable co-investment fund has awarded roughly $20million to 28 projects with co-funding of $60.5 million.
In September last year, the Government announced a heritage attraction in Harbour St, Oamaru, had been awarded $290,000 from the fund. Round five of the funding opens this month.
''Tourism is developing really well, as we know ... but we feel that we've got to spread it around more so that it's working in places like Oamaru,'' Mr Joyce said.
''And Oamaru has got some wonderful attractions already, of course, including the buildings, the built infrastructure in town.
''But we can't just keep funnelling people into Queenstown and Auckland without spreading it around the regions.''
Last month, Mr Kircher said the council was pursuing a business case for an adventure park in Oamaru Harbour. And yesterday he confirmed he spoke to Mr Joyce about the concept as well as developing the district's geology and fossil-focused attraction, Vanishing World.
