Developing local tourism
This Budget is delivered this week in Parliament and I look forward to updating you with the contents in my next column.
Prime Minister John Key has already announced $30 million in new funding for tourism, most of which will go on marketing overseas. $5 million will go to joint ventures around the country and I’m hopeful that some of this money will benefit our region.
We have the right conditions for developing tourism here with great attractions and thousands of vehicles passing through every day. The challenge for us is to convince more people to turn off SH1 and spend more time here.
Prince William’s visit to Kapiti Island has really put it on the map as a tourist destination. The amount of national and international coverage the visit received was priceless, and the Department of Conservation is gearing up for more visitors to the island as a result.
Last week I attended the launch of an exciting plan to build a giant sculpture of several humpback whales on the Kapiti Coast. Local men Gavin Bradley and Mike Fuller have been pushing the idea, which would be the largest sculpture in New Zealand – about the size of a rugby field.
Otaki’s retail strip is buzzing and has become a real destination, and the same goes for Shannon which has seen a real transformation. I’m looking forward to opening the new market which begins on Queens Birthday Weekend that should attract even more visitors to Shannon.
Foxton has ambitious projects underway with plans for a unique centre that will complement the De Molden Windmill, and other attractions like trolley buses, historic movies and murals.
Paraparaumu airport is a fantastic project that will open up our region to even more domestic tourists, once completed.
The biggest opportunity for us will be the Rugby World Cup next year, which will be a huge occasion with 85,000 visitors expected. We should see plenty of campervans staying locally with two games in Palmerston North and six in Wellington.
There’s plenty happening in our region – it’s up to all of us to ‘talk up’ this great part of New Zealand we live in.