Assurance on tourism sought

Press, 12 February 1982, Page 2

Assurance on tourism sought

Parliamentary reporter The Minister of Tourism (Mr Talbot) wants to make sure that Air New Zealand has taken the tourist industry into account in its decision to reduce flights between Christchurch and Melbourne. Developments at the Mount Hutt and Queenstown ski resorts, and the new Mount Cook ski region, made it imperative that the airline realised the source of revenue to New Zealand of the ski-ing market in Australia, Mr Talbot said. “New Zealand is the Southern Hemisphere’s major ski region, and to be successful we need co-operation and coordination by all," he said. The South Island particularly was becoming an important part of the New Zealand

tourist scene. “I fully accept that the airline has difficulties over routing, timetables, and the like, just as any other airline has, but I would like to be assured that the effect on New Zealand’s developing tourist industry has been taken into account,” he said.

“It is imperative that a closer working relationship be developed between airlines and the tourist industry. Such a relationship is vital, not only to the MelbourneChristchurch connection, but on all matters to do with inbound tourist air traffic.” Mr Talbot said that he would speak to the Minister of Civil Aviation (Mr Gair) and to senior executives of Air New Zealand at the earliest possible opportunity.