"If I had the Government cheque book for day and looked to where I could do the most good in support of the Tourism Industry, I would be incentivising Sustainable/Green businesses. If we are to take the opportunity the existing Crisis presents to progress New Zealand’s marketability, then organisations who are at the forefront Sustainability should be the priority for funding. Our Industry had made strides with weaving Sustainability into our mission statement and many operators were beginning to deliver on this promise. Now we have the opportunity to Supercharge this progress but only through support of businesses that genuinely have begun this journey or are capable of demonstrating that they are able to in the future.
We can through an effective investment program, position NZ as the world leader for sustainable tourism. Forthcoming Government funding of Strategic Tourism Assets should be conditional on a verifiable commitment to producing more effective Green outcomes. It is still possible to enjoy Tourism volume and continued growth within these parameters and costs do not necessarily need to rise in order to be able to provide Sustainable facilities or services. If a traveller’s experience is memorable then pricing finds its place and the market determines its own successes.
We need to act urgently to address potential Sustainable funding going in the wrong direction. We all know that the wheels of Government decision making turn slowly and the likely outcome of the current discussions are sure to arrive when our recovery and reinvestment is already well underway. I am hearing constant calls from the side-lines for our Industry to improve its proposition. It would be a travesty to have the financial resources being extended to Tourism currently being directed to address short term issues rather projects that will benefit us more greatly in the long term."
– Les Morgan, Director of Hotels, Sudima Hotels
