Air fares wanted to help S.L tourism

Press, 7 May 1984, Page 2

Air fares wanted to help S.L tourism

Parliamentary reporter An air fare structure that would encourage overseas visitors to arrive at Christchurch and leave from Auckland is being investigated by the Labour Party. How to get more visitors to come to New Zealand, stay longer, spend more, and travel throughout the country including the South Island, was the challenge facing any government seeking jobs and wealth through the tourist industry, said Labour’s tourism spokesman, Mr M. K. Moore (Papanui). The problem in the regions and in the South Island was that 70 per cent of tourists visited the North Island but only 20 per cent left from Christchurch. Visitors should be encouraged to arrive at Christchurch and leave from Auckland at little or no extra cost, he said. The full internal travel

costs of a visitor could be paid, and would be recouped if that visitor stayed in the country an extra day and a half.

Perhaps New Zealand ought to examine a fare structure or an “internal travel coupon” that, for example, took $lOO from the cost of a car rental, rail, bus or airfare at appropriate slack times as an incentive for visitors to stay longer, Mr Moore said. Tourism figures proved that the investment from the Government more than paid for itself in domestic and international tourism.

Every day spent by a tourist in New Zealand earned $65 for the economy, he said. Increasing the average time spent by a visitor to New Zealand by one extra day would return $3O million to the economy. The Netherlands National Trust had decided to promote that country’s cultural assets by issuing a Dutch

Culture Card — a $2.50 ticket giving access to museums and galleries.

The average stay of tourists had increased from 1.5 to four days, and one report said they were now staying for seven days. Mr Moore listed some of the things a New Zealand card might do —

• Discount visits to Auckland’s galleries and the Mercury Theatre.

© Discount visits to the New Zealand Maori Arts and Cultural Centre in Rotorua.

® Enable cheaper access to trout fishing, hunting or ski-ing.

® Discount visits to Christchurch’s museum and art centres.

® Discount visits to Larnach Castle in Dunedin.

® Enable cheaper rides on a new Waikato paddle steamer. If this worked in New Zealand it could create another 10,000 jobs, he said.