Reports of lengthy traffic delays and travel times to Auckland International Airport are likely to get considerable worse according to leading tourism expert Dean Humphries. Humphries, who heads up Colliers International’s Hotels division, is frustrated at the lack of planning to address the issue.
“The current tourism boom is not going away, and with 70 percent of all international tourists arriving and leaving via Auckland Airport it is no wonder this is creating havoc on our roading network,” said Humphries.
“In the last year, there’s been more than 17 million passenger movements, including tourists and domestic travellers, through Auckland’s international and domestic airports. All of these people have no option but to use the roading network to get to and from the airport.” Humphries believes the problem only looks to be getting worse.
“Recent tourism forecasts from MBIE predict tourism numbers will rise another 40 percent over the next five years, so if nothing is done soon, it may take people in Auckland longer to get to the airport than to fly to some of their intended destinations.”
