Chris Meehan: Winton Land and Ayrburn Owner on the projected visitor numbers

Central Otago hospitality precinct Ayrburn is forecast to be the most popular attraction in the region. 

Winton Land owns the property near Arrowtown, which already has 10 restaurants and bars, while a screen hub, retirement village, and other amenities are in the works. 

Owner Chris Meehan told Mike Hosking it was a risk to turn what was an empty paddock a few years ago into this venture. 

He says they're aiming to be the thing everyone goes to in Queenstown, so projections of one million people to visit this year is a good sign. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good news property and tourism. Airburn, Central Otago forecast to
become the most popular attraction in the region. Over a
million are expected to walk through their doors. Now Chris
means the Winter and CEO and Airburn owner and as
well as Chris morning, well, I'm well, thank you. The
line between soaking up an already successful region, in other words,
you open your doors that people were already there, versus

(00:20):
providing something that attracts your share plus some what's the magic.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Well, I think you're floating boat rises, floating tide rises
or boats, and I think we're attracting visitors to Queenstown.
So I think the whole region is benefiting from what
we're doing. And you know, I only have that continues
into the future.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
The car show that was successful, everything seems that you
built it, they came seems to be the same.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
And I mean, if you go back a few years,
it was a sheep paddic in the middle of our
town with a bunch of rubble on the floor which
used to be the old historic buildings. And you know,
we had a vision of putting the most magnificent botanic
garden in New Zealand in the grounds and we've done that,
and we've built ten restaurants and ours and we've done
that and they're trading very well and people love it.
You walk around there and all you see is people

(01:02):
would a spoil on their face? Yeah, was it a risk,
I'll tell you no doubt. But if you put it
in context, there's about thirty million visitors a year at
Queenstown and we aim to be the thing that everyone
does every time they come to Queenstown. And so you know,
you and a billion we're tracking to Northwold million visitors.
It's about right.

Speaker 1 (01:20):
Fantastic. Rest of your report was interesting. How would you
describe the New Zealand economy in your area? Is it tough.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
All? Auckland's diabolical and Queenstown's pretty good. It's a very
game of two halves, you know. Queenstown down south is
a it's very tight on supply, it's very high in demand,
so the market's boiled and it's good. And Auckland's almost
the opposite. If you go to around Auckland today and
you walk onto any building site, that builder doesn't have
work a month's time from now, you know the situation

(01:48):
here is only getting worse.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
Do you see green shoots.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
Honestly, I don't and I think you know, I said yesterday,
until unemployment peaks, you won't see a turnaround. And I
honestly feel in Auckland that we're along one from the
peak of unemployment, which is a sad thing to say
and not an economist, but it certainly just how it
feels to me on the ground.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
Is there something that somebody can do? You know, there
are bridges, are calling for help from the government. Is
there a leiever that can be pulled or is this
just the result of you know, year's worth of neglect
and problems and issues and regulation, red tapeing, et cetera.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
Yeah, I think it's two things. We because I think
they've got to attack this interest throw problem. It's just
got to come down faster. And I know you've been
saying that, but it's just it's just the fact of
the matter when you speak to people on the ground.
But I think also the red tapers and you've heard
me complain about it before, but it's just become disastrous
and you just can't get anything done when you're in
a market where you have to The economy relies on
construction and building and you can't get building done, you

(02:41):
know you're going to have a problem.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
Yeah, exactly, all right, ma, I appreciate it very much.
Chris May and who's the Winter CEO and Earburn owner?
Does that not sum up in a way the problem
of the New Zealand economy. You go to a place
like Central Otago, you're laughing and you can do business,
and you can do it well and profitably and successfully.
You go to the engine room of the economy forty
percent of GDP in Auckland and the place is completely
that only stuffed. For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast,

(03:03):
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