September 13, 2025 • 9 mins
The Government has just announced a new $70 million tourism package they expect will supercharge the tourism and events sectors.
The funding includes $40 million to secure large-scale international events from next year, and a regional tourism boost campaign.
The boost in funding will help New Zealand complete with Australia for major events.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
The government has announced a new seventy million dollar tourism package,
Events and Tourism. I guess that they expect will supercharge
the tourism and events sectors. The funding will and crude
include forty million dollars to secure large scale international events
from next year and a regional Tourism boost campaign. And
the boost and funding will help New Zealand compete in
(00:31):
a with Australia for major events and Heart of the
City Chief executive Viv Beck is with me. No, good afternoon,
Good afternoon. What's your initial reaction to this package?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
A positive, really positive. We've along with others, have been
calling for support with major events and tourism and we
wanted meaningful action and this certainly at first first glance,
looks like it.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Is it about the events, I think there's a forty
million or so and there, or is it about tourism
infrastructure for you?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Well, for us, it's about both reres. You'll be well
aware we've had a decade of major disruption in the
central city and it's about all the things that need
to happen to bring people back in and events are
a proven way of doing that. So it's tourism and
from our perspective that's good for the businesses that we support,
(01:25):
and we do know it's not just the central city.
I talked to colleagues and other areas across Auckland and
you hear it from other cities as well. Events and
tourism do make a difference.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Is this about competing with Australia? Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland
has been aggressive and securing big events, So how do
we go against competing with the likes of those cities.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Oh well, it's been a struggle and through COVID, particularly
for Auckland, given we were locked down in such a
terrible situation. We used to watch with a bit of
envy actually with the money that was put into initiatives
that supported regeneration and growth, particularly as you come out
of those lockdowns. This does put us in a position
(02:06):
to compete, which is really important because I know I
hear a lot of people talking about just how difficult
it is when others have got more ability to attract
these big events that we haven't been in a position
to do so. And there was a stalemate that just
had to be unlocked. So when we heard the Prime
Minister a couple of weeks ago moving away from saying no,
we're not doing a bed tax for Auckland, and we
(02:29):
sort of a number of us were sort of pushing
back on that and saying, well, we're going to need
to do something, And a couple of weeks ago he
announced that they were looking at the major events program
and pretty pleased to see this come out.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
So are we One of the most controversial aspects, I
guess is that concerts are going to be eligible for
government funding, which I mean the concert promoters. They do
things because they think they're going to make hopefully a
little bit of money and hopefully a lot What business
does the government have subsidizing profit making ventures which can
(03:01):
be massive profit making ventures.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Well, a lot of things that are funded privately already.
So we have quite a strong events lineup. We're talking
about the big things that have generally have a legacy
benefit for a an area like ours, for example, or
a city or a town. I mean, you might recall
one stage, there was a Taylor Swift concert in a
(03:25):
small town one town in the States, and they reckon
it staved off recession it was so successful. So I
think it's about big things that attract people to come
here and stay in hotels and spend. So I think
when you look at the major events like the FISA
tournamentth America's Cup, things like that generally have legacy benefits.
(03:46):
And obviously we were very disappointed in the America's Cup
when there wasn't a successful bid so that because we
had all the infrastructure and that was really one thing
that could have given a great boost without a whole
lot of extra spend. But you're right, there are events
that are privately funded and they will continue, just as
we have local events. We've just finished Restaurant Month that
is an event we put on. So the reality is
(04:09):
that there's a variety of things and you need something
for everybody. But I can tell you, if you look
at the numbers that we've sustained in terms of the
severe impact of a major disruption from public projects COVID
et cetera, we need about a cold player day to
get us back up to the levels we were before COVID.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah, I guess because imagine if we if we bought
Taylor Swift over here, would that be something you'd support
because it does feel because I mean, she's a billionaire.
She should come as she wanted, I guess, But I mean,
I guess that's the thing. Is it about creating events
that are going to keep Auckland and Wellington and christ
Church and bubbling along in a more effervescent way? Or
(04:47):
is it about bringing in the bringing in the big
guns and bringing in a major star from time to time.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Well, I think at the moment, what the government is
recognized is that this is a way to bring people
here and we need them. So major events, tourism are
all important things to be investing in. We've seen it
with Australia. You know, if you look at Melbourne for example,
they were for many years put a lot of money
into events and became established in that field. And the
(05:14):
reality is different cities have different strategies. But right now
we need a combination of things to get us back
to a sustainable level of business. That's my focus is
making sure that the business is here can survive and
thrive and we grow again. And this is one way
to do that.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
What about criteria? Do we know? I couldn't discern exactly
what the criteria was going to be. I don't know
if you know, But what should it be?
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Well, I think that's probably they're indicating that there's more
to come. I think they're signaling here they're going to
put a decent injection. And actually, the way I look
at it from our point of view is that this
is a critical time in rebuilding the central city. So
this is a real boost. If it's not going to
be a bed tax or we're not going to get
the GST back, this is a way to have an
(06:00):
interim step. They'll need to develop a sustainable model for
this sort of stuff going, but this is it, I
would imagine as an interim step. They're probably still working
that out, and it does need to have criteria. It's
public money, You're absolutely right. I mean, it's not a
free for all. I think it will need criteria, but
I think it is recognizing that there is a gap
here and we needed something to fill that gap.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
In the immediate contenders or recent contenders, you would have thought,
oh goodness, if we'd had this six months ago, we
could have done X, Y and Z.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Well, i'll tell you what, Lady Gaga would make a difference.
You know, something like that. People, you know, if you
look at Coldplay, the combination of Coldplay and Pearl Jam
last year. I mean that filled the hotels up. It
brought the place to life, they spend, they enjoyed the place,
they go away with good feelings about it. You get
something like that that can make a massive impact in
(06:53):
a very short space of time. I mean, even dare
I say it the test last week? You know that
people staying in a hotel feeling good about the city.
That is what we need now. And I know that
might be difficult news for some to swallow in a
challenging time on many fronts, but we need to get
(07:14):
these economic engines driving again. And there are a variety
of ways of doing it, and events for approven and
tourism are a proven way.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I guess. So is it going to be Do you
imagine it being more like getting the big names and
for concerts or is it about sort of support supporting
sort of costs around otherwise more complex events which such
as you know, sailing and other sporting events. Or how
do we balance that versus the Lady Gagas and the
cold Plays.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Yeah, well that'll come down to how they the criteria
they put around it. But just I mean, I'm just
looking at the detail here too, and it looks like
it's a combination of the attraction, the tourism aspect, and
the infra structure that needs to go with it. So
it's a it's going to be a mix of spend.
I mean, one other big opportunity for us, given we
(08:02):
missed the America's Cup, is we've got great infrastructure on
our waterfront. We know sale GP with a real boost
last summer, so something significant in that water space that
draws on existing infrastructure would be a real boost. And
these things, if they've got significant opportunities for trade and
international profile. That's another thing we need right now. So
(08:26):
it's not always just in the what some might see
as a bit of a sugar hit of an event.
It's actually what else you can build around it and
over what time frame. So I think it's going to
be about getting the criteria in a way that stacks
up for public money. But it's a real boost right
now and that's what people need to see after. I mean,
(08:46):
I can tell you it's been incredibly difficult and it
still is for many of the businesses in the central city.
This will be a real boost.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Do you still think we've got some more more sort
of discussion to be had about stadiums and potential new
ones and all that, because I haven't emotionally given up
on that idea myself.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
No, I haven't either, have to say, you know, and
I think there are a number of people still feeling
that way. But we'll see how that unfolds. Tell you sorry.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
More than seventy million.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Yeah, but I can't tell you. I was in christ
Church recently and I saw that stadium just a stone
strow from that Kentral city.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
For them, I tell you what. I've just been there
myself and it's quite sort of sobering, isn't it to
visit And obviously christ you should a massive price to pay,
which is why they've had the rebuilt they have, But
it is quite sobering if you're visiting from Auckland or
Wellington as to maybe some ground we've got to make up.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
So yeah, anyway, good on you.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Hey, I appreciate your time. Thanks very much.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Jes.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
That's Heart of the City Chief Executive.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to news
Talks it'd be weekends from three pm, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
The government has announced a new seventy million dollar tourism package,
Events and Tourism. I guess that they expect will supercharge
the tourism and events sectors. The funding will and crude
include forty million dollars to secure large scale international events
from next year and a regional Tourism boost campaign. And
the boost and funding will help New Zealand compete in
(00:31):
a with Australia for major events and Heart of the
City Chief executive Viv Beck is with me. No, good afternoon,
Good afternoon. What's your initial reaction to this package?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
A positive, really positive. We've along with others, have been
calling for support with major events and tourism and we
wanted meaningful action and this certainly at first first glance,
looks like it.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Is it about the events, I think there's a forty
million or so and there, or is it about tourism
infrastructure for you?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Well, for us, it's about both reres. You'll be well
aware we've had a decade of major disruption in the
central city and it's about all the things that need
to happen to bring people back in and events are
a proven way of doing that. So it's tourism and
from our perspective that's good for the businesses that we support,
(01:25):
and we do know it's not just the central city.
I talked to colleagues and other areas across Auckland and
you hear it from other cities as well. Events and
tourism do make a difference.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Is this about competing with Australia? Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland
has been aggressive and securing big events, So how do
we go against competing with the likes of those cities.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Oh well, it's been a struggle and through COVID, particularly
for Auckland, given we were locked down in such a
terrible situation. We used to watch with a bit of
envy actually with the money that was put into initiatives
that supported regeneration and growth, particularly as you come out
of those lockdowns. This does put us in a position
(02:06):
to compete, which is really important because I know I
hear a lot of people talking about just how difficult
it is when others have got more ability to attract
these big events that we haven't been in a position
to do so. And there was a stalemate that just
had to be unlocked. So when we heard the Prime
Minister a couple of weeks ago moving away from saying no,
we're not doing a bed tax for Auckland, and we
(02:29):
sort of a number of us were sort of pushing
back on that and saying, well, we're going to need
to do something, And a couple of weeks ago he
announced that they were looking at the major events program
and pretty pleased to see this come out.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
So are we One of the most controversial aspects, I
guess is that concerts are going to be eligible for
government funding, which I mean the concert promoters. They do
things because they think they're going to make hopefully a
little bit of money and hopefully a lot What business
does the government have subsidizing profit making ventures which can
(03:01):
be massive profit making ventures.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Well, a lot of things that are funded privately already.
So we have quite a strong events lineup. We're talking
about the big things that have generally have a legacy
benefit for a an area like ours, for example, or
a city or a town. I mean, you might recall
one stage, there was a Taylor Swift concert in a
(03:25):
small town one town in the States, and they reckon
it staved off recession it was so successful. So I
think it's about big things that attract people to come
here and stay in hotels and spend. So I think
when you look at the major events like the FISA
tournamentth America's Cup, things like that generally have legacy benefits.
(03:46):
And obviously we were very disappointed in the America's Cup
when there wasn't a successful bid so that because we
had all the infrastructure and that was really one thing
that could have given a great boost without a whole
lot of extra spend. But you're right, there are events
that are privately funded and they will continue, just as
we have local events. We've just finished Restaurant Month that
is an event we put on. So the reality is
(04:09):
that there's a variety of things and you need something
for everybody. But I can tell you, if you look
at the numbers that we've sustained in terms of the
severe impact of a major disruption from public projects COVID
et cetera, we need about a cold player day to
get us back up to the levels we were before COVID.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah, I guess because imagine if we if we bought
Taylor Swift over here, would that be something you'd support
because it does feel because I mean, she's a billionaire.
She should come as she wanted, I guess, But I mean,
I guess that's the thing. Is it about creating events
that are going to keep Auckland and Wellington and christ
Church and bubbling along in a more effervescent way? Or
(04:47):
is it about bringing in the bringing in the big
guns and bringing in a major star from time to time.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Well, I think at the moment, what the government is
recognized is that this is a way to bring people
here and we need them. So major events, tourism are
all important things to be investing in. We've seen it
with Australia. You know, if you look at Melbourne for example,
they were for many years put a lot of money
into events and became established in that field. And the
(05:14):
reality is different cities have different strategies. But right now
we need a combination of things to get us back
to a sustainable level of business. That's my focus is
making sure that the business is here can survive and
thrive and we grow again. And this is one way
to do that.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
What about criteria? Do we know? I couldn't discern exactly
what the criteria was going to be. I don't know
if you know, But what should it be?
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Well, I think that's probably they're indicating that there's more
to come. I think they're signaling here they're going to
put a decent injection. And actually, the way I look
at it from our point of view is that this
is a critical time in rebuilding the central city. So
this is a real boost. If it's not going to
be a bed tax or we're not going to get
the GST back, this is a way to have an
(06:00):
interim step. They'll need to develop a sustainable model for
this sort of stuff going, but this is it, I
would imagine as an interim step. They're probably still working
that out, and it does need to have criteria. It's
public money, You're absolutely right. I mean, it's not a
free for all. I think it will need criteria, but
I think it is recognizing that there is a gap
here and we needed something to fill that gap.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
In the immediate contenders or recent contenders, you would have thought,
oh goodness, if we'd had this six months ago, we
could have done X, Y and Z.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Well, i'll tell you what, Lady Gaga would make a difference.
You know, something like that. People, you know, if you
look at Coldplay, the combination of Coldplay and Pearl Jam
last year. I mean that filled the hotels up. It
brought the place to life, they spend, they enjoyed the place,
they go away with good feelings about it. You get
something like that that can make a massive impact in
(06:53):
a very short space of time. I mean, even dare
I say it the test last week? You know that
people staying in a hotel feeling good about the city.
That is what we need now. And I know that
might be difficult news for some to swallow in a
challenging time on many fronts, but we need to get
(07:14):
these economic engines driving again. And there are a variety
of ways of doing it, and events for approven and
tourism are a proven way.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I guess. So is it going to be Do you
imagine it being more like getting the big names and
for concerts or is it about sort of support supporting
sort of costs around otherwise more complex events which such
as you know, sailing and other sporting events. Or how
do we balance that versus the Lady Gagas and the
cold Plays.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Yeah, well that'll come down to how they the criteria
they put around it. But just I mean, I'm just
looking at the detail here too, and it looks like
it's a combination of the attraction, the tourism aspect, and
the infra structure that needs to go with it. So
it's a it's going to be a mix of spend.
I mean, one other big opportunity for us, given we
(08:02):
missed the America's Cup, is we've got great infrastructure on
our waterfront. We know sale GP with a real boost
last summer, so something significant in that water space that
draws on existing infrastructure would be a real boost. And
these things, if they've got significant opportunities for trade and
international profile. That's another thing we need right now. So
(08:26):
it's not always just in the what some might see
as a bit of a sugar hit of an event.
It's actually what else you can build around it and
over what time frame. So I think it's going to
be about getting the criteria in a way that stacks
up for public money. But it's a real boost right
now and that's what people need to see after. I mean,
(08:46):
I can tell you it's been incredibly difficult and it
still is for many of the businesses in the central city.
This will be a real boost.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Do you still think we've got some more more sort
of discussion to be had about stadiums and potential new
ones and all that, because I haven't emotionally given up
on that idea myself.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
No, I haven't either, have to say, you know, and
I think there are a number of people still feeling
that way. But we'll see how that unfolds. Tell you sorry.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
More than seventy million.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Yeah, but I can't tell you. I was in christ
Church recently and I saw that stadium just a stone
strow from that Kentral city.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
For them, I tell you what. I've just been there
myself and it's quite sort of sobering, isn't it to
visit And obviously christ you should a massive price to pay,
which is why they've had the rebuilt they have, But
it is quite sobering if you're visiting from Auckland or
Wellington as to maybe some ground we've got to make up.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
So yeah, anyway, good on you.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Hey, I appreciate your time. Thanks very much.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Jes.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
That's Heart of the City Chief Executive.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to news
Talks it'd be weekends from three pm, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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