Outdoor recreation gets lift from Govt.

Press, 21 October 1986, Page 8

Outdoor recreation gets lift from Govt.

. The Outdoor Recreation Information Centre’s role in adding an extra dimension to tourism in Canterbury was recognised by the Government in the form of an $BOOO cheque presented, to the centre in Christchurch yesterday by the member of Parliament for Yaldhurst, Mrs Margaret Austin. The centre played an important and “tremendously exciting" role in Canterbury tourism, said Mrs Austin, who presented the cheque on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, Mr Moore, at yesterday’s monthly 0.R.1.C. regional committee meeting. A significant number of overseas young people were wanting to stay longer in New Zealand and travel independently of organised tours, said Mrs Austin.

Most important they became “ambassadors for New Zealand” in their own countries and were likely to return to New Zealand, she said. Often the younger tourists ended up spending just as much money in

New Zealand as their older counterparts. The number of visitors, both overseas and New Zealanders, had increased almost four times for the months of August and September this year compared with the same time last year, said 0.R.1.C.’s outdoor recreation advisor, i Ms Erica Law. In August, the centre received inquiries about outdoor recreation from more than 400 people, including 91 overseas young people. In September, 397 people, including 110 overseas people, visited the centre.

More than 40 per cent of the visitors during the year were from overseas. The most popular were walking and tramping, said Ms Law.

The $BOOO would go towards coping with the increasingly large numbers of visitors expected during the peak summer period. Most of the money would help pay the salaries of staff and a proportion would be spent on administration costs, said Ms Law.

More people had visited

the centre since it shifted downstairs to its new premises in the old Boys’ High School section of the Art Centre in Worcester Street. Both 0.R.1.C. and the Canterbury Promotion Council could play an important role in contributing to the Canterbury United Council’s regional planning scheme, which was now being prepared, said the United Council’s regional planning manager for Christchurch, Mr Max Barber, who was also invited to address the meeting yesterday.

Much of O.RJ.C.’s work is supported, financially by the United Council, but it is an independent body whose members belong to a wide range of outdoor recreation organisations. The Canterbury Promotion Council is also partly funded by the United Council. Mr Barber said he envisaged that the planning of recreation in the region would be done by 0.R.1.C. and the Canterbury Promotion Council, with some advice and co-ordination from the United Council.