PHOTO
The first steps have been taken in repositioning tourism in the Queenstown Lakes area.
A multi-agency Queenstown Lakes group working on a regenerative tourism report has welcomed the release of another regenerative recovery report this week.
Lake Wanaka Tourism general manager Tim Barke leads a tourism group tasked by central Government to create a regional destination management plan.
The tourism group includes representatives from the Queenstown Lakes District Council, Lake Wanaka Tourism and Destination Queenstown.
It held four meetings around the district this week to gather input into what the district’s tourism future could look like.
The tourism group would now distil those ideas for more discussion at forums in August and September.
A draft plan is due in November and the final plan is due in December.
Mr Barke said the tourism group’s work had been informed by the final report from the Regenerative Recovery Advisory Group.
It was great to see everyone was coming together to work on the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.
"There are overlaps. That is a good thing and we’ve picked up other people that the other group didn’t. I have read their report. It is cool that it aligns with what we are hearing, reinforcing what we are doing as well. It is a great way to cross check ... We are still talking with them and they are providing feedback to us," Mr Barke said.
The tourism group has been tasked with reinventing the tourism sector.
The advisory group was an independent voluntary think tank initiated by the council. It has looked at diversifying the entire district economy beyond 2050.
