Grant Webster: Tourism Holdings CEO on the Government's tourism funding boost

A tick of approval for the Government's new tourism funding boost, aiming to generate an extra $300 million in spending. 

Minister Louise Upston's announced a $13.5 million injection into Tourism New Zealand, targeting markets in Australia, the US and China. 

It's hoping to bring an extra 72 thousand visitors over coming years.  

Tourism Holdings CEO Grant Webster told Mike Hosking it'll provide recovery from the post-Covid hangover.  

He says this is the most ambitious Government from a tourism perspective in around eight years, and looks forward to helping the economy grow. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
More money for tourism. Of course, we've got another thirteen
and a half million. This will target visitors from Australia,
the US and China. They're wanting seventy two thousand visitors
in remember the thirteen and a half million, and they're
thinking three hundred million dollars in spending. So those numbers
add up. Grant Webster's the boss of course of tourism,
holdings back with It's Grant morning to you.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
So this is the second tranch they've announced. Are you
liking what you're seeing? Is this the way to go? O?

Speaker 2 (00:24):
One hundred percent? Look, this is the most ambitious government
we've had from a tourism perspective for probably you know,
eight years. So yeah, we're really buoyed by the opportunity
to help grow the economy to spend.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
Will they come?

Speaker 2 (00:38):
I think absolutely. I think we've got to remember, I
think I've said this to you before. We're very, very
competitive on a global basis, right, We've got to keep
up with Australia that's got more air capacity that's look
really cheap right now, and here's a good marketing proposition
as well, So we need to spend to keep up and.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
Do the numbers add up. If you spend thirteen and
a half million on seventy two thousand people, do they
spend three hundred million dollars?

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Look, I think on the dollar pervose it has spent. Absolutely.
We're seeing that trend and that's the right way to go.
The question is can we get enough air capacity into
New Zealand to actually bring those number of people through
And the answer is should be able to. It's looking
tight for the next twelve months, so that's probably something
else we need the government to help look at. Again. Overseas,

(01:22):
Australia is investing tremendous amounts of money getting new capacity
in New Ecpacity equals growth.

Speaker 1 (01:29):
Yeah, do we have a regionality problem that you've got
some sort of magic answer to. I mean, Queenstown's booming,
the sum of the rest of the country isn't. What
do we do about that? Or do we need to
do anything at all? Or it is what it is?

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Look, it is what it is to an extinct But
the market will rectify that right so that the airlines
will move to the different regions. The marketing will push
to the different regions. You've got the North Island initiative
where a number of the regions are coming together, so
the market will make that shit. It's not quite confident
that over a short period of time.

Speaker 1 (02:02):
Good are you bullish?

Speaker 2 (02:03):
Generally for Australian New Zealand.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
Tourism lifetimes, travel aeroplanes, people spending the whole kitten kabool.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
They want to Absolutely, people still want to right, we
have still got a COVID hangover where we're not even
back to one hundred percent of the visitor numbers that
we had pre COVID. We will get there. It's a
growth opportunity for the economy.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
Good stuff, Grump, Nice to have you on the programs
always Grunt Webster Tourism holdings with us this morning.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
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