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ROSA WOODS / Things
Stuart Nash retakes the tourism portfolio after serving as Minister of Police, Finance, Fisheries and Small Businesses in the last Government. He says security will be a key priority when opening the border.
The tourism industry has welcomed the appointment of Stuart Nash as Tourism Minister, but will have a lot of work ahead of it as the sector struggles with prolonged border closures.
Nash will also handle the economic and regional development, forestry and small business portfolios, and while tourism leaders say it is a good fit for their industry, they caution that further support will be needed.
Aotearoa Tourism Industry (TIA) executive director Chris Roberts said it was a pleasure to see the portfolio remain in the hands of a senior minister, and Nash’s previous experience would be invaluable as tourism included thousands of small companies.
TIA was looking forward to working with him on the recovery of the industry, and Roberts said he desperately needed more information on opening the borders when it was safe to do so.
“What are the conditions that the government will require for that to happen?”
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THINGS
New Zealand had around 20,000 tourism businesses before Covid and more than 300 applied for government grants designed to save key attractions.
The executive director of the Tourism Export Council, Lynda Keene, said its members would feel “pretty good” with Nash’s appointment.
“We are pleased that there is a natural marriage between economic and regional development, tourism and small businesses, because tourism touches all aspects of the economy.”
Keene said TEC would present the new minister with a recovery plan and would seek changes to the strategic tourism asset protection program (Stapp), which was controversial during former Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis.
Keene said they will push for the cash grants to be extended to incoming tour operators who were only offered loans, and who wanted specific support for accommodation and transportation operators deemed ineligible for the Stapp scheme.
Davis took office as Minister of Tourism in 2017, but was increasingly described as “invisible” by those in tourism who felt he was not getting involved enough with the industry, and had mishandled Stapp’s allocation of $ 270. million in grants and loans for 130 tourism. operators.
Things
Former Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis turned down the chance to be Deputy Prime Minister, a position given to Finance Minister Grant Robertson, but he sticks to his current Corrections portfolio and retakes the Children’s portfolio. He is also Minister of Relations with the Maori Crown, Te Arawhiti, and Associate Minister of Education (Maori Education).
At one point, identifying which “strategic assets” to support became so difficult. Officials from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment recommended abandoning the process entirely and starting over.
Three of the 130 companies that were offered Stapp funds have decreased $ 1.5 million in grants because turnover from domestic visitors was higher than expected.
Nash will now be under pressure to reallocate that money, along with unused loans, as well as offer more help for struggling traders facing a $ 3 billion hole in over-the-shoulder spending and summer seasons with no foreign visitors. .
A group of more than 50 tour operators has also asked the Auditor General to investigate Stapp’s application and evaluation process.
Nash said he knew some of the key tourism players well through their small business and income portfolios and his role as a Napier MP.
I would visit as many regional centers as possible before Christmas to speak with tour operators, provincial companies, chambers of commerce, and economic development agencies.
“I do not underestimate the challenge that lies ahead, as the global pandemic reinforces the need for strong border policy and the need to maintain the momentum of rebuilding our economy.
“The Prime Minister has made it clear that we will open travel bubbles when it is safe to do so,” Nash said.
