Latitude 45 cafe and wine bar owner Bruce Morrison plans to write to Tourism Minister John Key and Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean outlining his concerns about the possible introduction of a tourism rate in the Waitaki district.
The proposal by the Waitaki District Council would see a tourism rate on businesses which directly benefit from visitors to the district.
The rate has yet to be approved by the council.
Mr Morrison said tourism was the "window to the region" and, for the council to target a small number of businesses was like "closing the blinds on the window".
It was very naive for the council to think only a few businesses in the town benefited from tourism.
"Everyone does," he said. "It's like we're being victimised. We're being singled out and seen as a cash cow for the council," he said.
Some franchised outlets in the town would have to absorb costs because prices were fixed nationally, while other businesses would increase their prices which, in times of a recession, was very difficult, especially as tourist activity in New Zealand was declining, he said.
Steve Hotton, of the Valley Cafe and Bakery in Kurow, described the proposal as "pathetic" and "absolutely stupid".
Whoever came up with the idea needed "run out of town" - "and I'll be happy to do it", he said.
The council wanted business growth throughout the district but was not providing any encouragement.
A survey to get feedback from tourists on their experiences in Oamaru has yielded plenty of constructive comments, Waitaki Tourism Association chairwoman Sue Berry says.
"Instead of Oamaru telling tourists what they want to see, we decided it would be really good to get some feedback from the tourists themselves about their own impressions of Oamaru," Mrs Berry said.
While it will continue until the end of February, responses from 235 people who have visited the town since the beginning of December have already been collated.
The overall impression as a visitor destination was ranked as excellent by 71 people, very good by 125 and average by 23.
Nearly all visitors said they would recommend the town to others.
The most popular attraction was the blue penguin colony, followed by the historic precinct-harbourside area, Oamaru public gardens, yellow-eyed penguin colony and Whitestone Cheese.
The gardens were described by one visitor as a "sight to behold" and Mrs Berry said the town needed to realise what a gem it was.
