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New Zealand is losing ground internationally and is now at a "critical crossroads", National leader Christopher Luxon says.
Speaking to members of the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce and Skal International Queenstown at Winnie’s yesterday morning, Mr Luxon, accompanied by several senior members of the party, said the Government had not registered the ramifications of the tourism industry’s decimation.
Chamber chief executive Ruth Stokes said the resort had been the "poster child for brand New Zealand" pre-Covid-19.
The resort’s business owners were "incredibly passionate about maintaining the quality and integrity of this brand" and were well prepared, once borders opened, to be so again.
"But the reality is, the current situation — the lack of support, the lack of customers, the lack of clarity, certainty, everything — is killing us.
"It will kill New Zealand if we do not support our brand, and that means supporting Queenstown."
Mr Luxon, the former Air NZ chief executive, said tourism had been built to be the country’s number one industry, at one point overtaking dairy, employed up to 390,000 people directly and indirectly, and generated about 12% of GDP in foreign export earnings.
"I can tell you, I don’t think this Government cares deeply about tourism — I don’t think it did even before it got to power."
He said it was a critical industry for the country. However, global competition was fierce and New Zealand was losing, not only in respect of visitors.
Immigration spokeswoman Erica Stanford said the Government "has got their priorities around the wrong way".
"There will be no offshore visa processing of foreigners until August 2. Meanwhile, they have been talking about bringing in tourists well before then in their staged opening plan," she said.
Ultimately, that could see visitors arrive before businesses were staffed up enough to handle them.
"It doesn’t make any sense."
Ms Stanford pointed to Australia where, in recent days, the country had opened the door for holders of working holiday visas to apply now, and receive a rebate if they arrived soon.
National believed MIQ needed to be abandoned for any fully vaccinated returning New Zealander, replaced by a seven-day home-isolation model, with critical and essential workers to follow suit, and then Australians at large on a quarantine-free basis.
"We’re not being reckless here," Mr Luxon said.
"The risk is not sitting in MIQ — it’s actually out in our community."
