Growing demand for Mt Cook rooms

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32665, 22 July 1971, Page 17

Growing demand for Mt Cook rooms

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, July 21

A study made by the Tourist and Publicity Department and the Tourist Hotel Corporation over the last two years indicated that more accommodation would be required at Mount Cook by 1974, said the Minister of Tourism (Mr Walker) in Parliament yesterday.

Replying to questions by Mr' R. L. G. Talbot (Nat., South) Canterbury), Mr Walker said: “The demand for tourist! hotel accommodation at j Mount Cook is increasing!

'cumulatively 8 per cent a | year. “The corporation is giving this very high priority. 'Sketch plans have been prepared for an 80-bed block, | and studies of cost and feasibility are now being made.” Mr Talbot: After completion of the Mount Cook village plan, now before the Government, will the corporation be happy to go into competition with private enterprise in the Mount Cook area?

Mr Walker: This is not re- | levant. The information we I have is that private enterprise will concentrate on medium grade accommodation, whereas it has been the traditional role of the Tourist Hotel Corporation to provide high-class accommodation.

Sir Basil Arthur (Lab., iTimaru), asked whether the Minister believed the demand would not increase above 8 per cent, and that there would be no need for more beds until 1974 Mr Walker: Bed capacity is 6816 a month. Occupancy figures varied between 6000 and 2000. The over-all occupancy rate for the year is 61 per cent—so it appears that at the moment there is no acute shortage of accommoI dation.