January 22, 2025 • 5 mins
Tourism Industry Aotearoa is excited about the Government's new growth agenda.
Minister-in-charge Nicola Willis is considering visa changes, hoping to pull in more tourists.
Just over 321,000 people entered the country from overseas in November - 86 percent of pre-pandemic figures.
CEO Rebecca Ingram says there's lots of room to build on that.
"So as an industry, we're delighted to see such a strong focus on economic growth from the Government with the new portfolio for Minister Willis."
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tourism. Tourism is making a comeback good. We need the money,
but there's calls for a new strategy to pull more
tourists through the door. Just over three hundred and twenty
one thousand tourists came into the country in November, that
is at eighty six percent of pre pandemic figures from
twenty nineteen. Nikola Willis has hinted at considering visa changes,
like the possibility of visa free entries to drive economic growth.
(00:23):
So what can we do. We've got tourism industry alteriro
CEO Rebecca Ingram with us right now. Hello, Rebecca good afternoon.
Six consecutive months of arrival numbers above eighty five percent
of pre pandemic levels. So is that satisfactory?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Well, there's certainly room for growth, is what I would say.
And so as an industry, we're delighted to see such
a strong focus on economic growth from the government with
the new portfolio for Minister Willis, and we're looking forward
to wishing with Minister Upston, who's just taken over is
the Tourism and Hospitality Minister well as of tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Actually, through the years we've seen growth. You know, why
are we still though below COVID levels when we are
used to historically growing at a rate of five percent
or more a year.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Well, I think there was an opportunity for us to
put some fuel in the tank, so to speak, as
we came out of COVID, and now there is still
that chance. So we want to ensure that New Zealand
competes globally. Tourism is a global business after all, so
when people are thinking about going on a holiday, we're
thinking about many countries that they might want to go to.
(01:33):
We're hoping that tourism is in New Zealand is one
of those, and so we've got to compete. We need
tourism in New Zealand to be well funded. We've got
to ensure when they choose New Zealand the process of
getting a visa is smooth and quick and what they expect,
and we want to ensure they have a great experience
in New Zealand when they get here.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Well, whose responsibility is this? Is it the government or
is it private enterprise?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Well, some of the things are differently in the government's camp.
So visa process saying, choosing the level of the international
visitorly be what we can do to attract airlines and
ensure our connectivity to the world, and how we fund
tourism New Zealand are things that can occur in partnership
between government and private businesses in the jurism industry.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
And with all that said, are you optimistic that in
the near and medium future the numbers will rise?
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I am optimistic as long as we do some things
to put fuel in the tank. So I'm delighted to
see such a focus on growth. We are definitely an
industry that's got growth potential and that will have a
ripple effect for jobs and GDP and all the good
things that we want for our economy and for our communities.
It's also important, though, as we're thinking about growth, that
we're balancing that with investment in New Zealand to ensure
(02:44):
that that growth is well planned for and well managed
on the ground.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Well, hey, look, let's talk about China, because Simon Bridges
reckons there's a billion dollars worth of business there that
we're not tapping, and Chinese visitor numbers are still a
lot lower than pre COVID, So why are the Chinese
not come?
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Well, visitation from China has had a slower recovery for
New Zealand, though it is Chinese New Year next year,
so I'm hopeful that we'll see it boost from that.
And it's important to remember that the numbers that got
released today are actually reflective of November of last year,
so that's before the summer season and before the majority
(03:22):
of our international visitors arrive in New Zealand, which takes
us right through to the end of March.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Well, the ideas that have been floated around the place
and that we talked with Niicola Willis about at the
beginning of the week was visa free entry for China.
Would you support that?
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, I think these are some of the things that
other countries have done. They've looked at how they can
make it easier for a visitor considering New Zealand to
or considering their country to pick the country visa processing times,
the ease of getting a visa is definitely something that
we should be thinking about alongside how we're turning up
and China has touris in New Zealand, got enough money
(03:57):
to do a really good job for US trade missions
over there, have we got a good profile and also
making sure that Chinese consumers understand what holiday and New
Zealand looks like. You know, when they're thinking about going
on a break, do they think of New Zealand. We
want to make sure all of those things are being
thought about. And I think it's really important that we
(04:19):
are out there being proactive in the world. We should
never assume that people are thinking about New Zealand or
thinking about coming on holiday here. It's very important that
we're globally competitive and proactive.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
This is a slightly petty question, but I think it's
relevant and it's my final question. We want to get
people to come to New Zealand, but your company is
called your organization is called Tourism Industry ALTAH or so
will people overseas know what we're talking about when we
say are tehor.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Well TIA Tourism Industry a HERO is a business association
much like Business New Zealand. So my members are tourism
businesses in New Zealand. Tourism in New Zealand under the
banner of the one hundred percent Pure in New Zealand
campaign is the one out there marketing us to the world.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Okay, I get it. Differentiation and I thank you so
much for your time today. That is Rebecca Ingram from
tourism industry Altar
Speaker 2 (05:10):
All for more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, Listen live
to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
Tourism. Tourism is making a comeback good. We need the money,
but there's calls for a new strategy to pull more
tourists through the door. Just over three hundred and twenty
one thousand tourists came into the country in November, that
is at eighty six percent of pre pandemic figures from
twenty nineteen. Nikola Willis has hinted at considering visa changes,
like the possibility of visa free entries to drive economic growth.
(00:23):
So what can we do. We've got tourism industry alteriro
CEO Rebecca Ingram with us right now. Hello, Rebecca good afternoon.
Six consecutive months of arrival numbers above eighty five percent
of pre pandemic levels. So is that satisfactory?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Well, there's certainly room for growth, is what I would say.
And so as an industry, we're delighted to see such
a strong focus on economic growth from the government with
the new portfolio for Minister Willis, and we're looking forward
to wishing with Minister Upston, who's just taken over is
the Tourism and Hospitality Minister well as of tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Actually, through the years we've seen growth. You know, why
are we still though below COVID levels when we are
used to historically growing at a rate of five percent
or more a year.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Well, I think there was an opportunity for us to
put some fuel in the tank, so to speak, as
we came out of COVID, and now there is still
that chance. So we want to ensure that New Zealand
competes globally. Tourism is a global business after all, so
when people are thinking about going on a holiday, we're
thinking about many countries that they might want to go to.
(01:33):
We're hoping that tourism is in New Zealand is one
of those, and so we've got to compete. We need
tourism in New Zealand to be well funded. We've got
to ensure when they choose New Zealand the process of
getting a visa is smooth and quick and what they expect,
and we want to ensure they have a great experience
in New Zealand when they get here.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Well, whose responsibility is this? Is it the government or
is it private enterprise?
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Well, some of the things are differently in the government's camp.
So visa process saying, choosing the level of the international
visitorly be what we can do to attract airlines and
ensure our connectivity to the world, and how we fund
tourism New Zealand are things that can occur in partnership
between government and private businesses in the jurism industry.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
And with all that said, are you optimistic that in
the near and medium future the numbers will rise?
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I am optimistic as long as we do some things
to put fuel in the tank. So I'm delighted to
see such a focus on growth. We are definitely an
industry that's got growth potential and that will have a
ripple effect for jobs and GDP and all the good
things that we want for our economy and for our communities.
It's also important, though, as we're thinking about growth, that
we're balancing that with investment in New Zealand to ensure
(02:44):
that that growth is well planned for and well managed
on the ground.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Well, hey, look, let's talk about China, because Simon Bridges
reckons there's a billion dollars worth of business there that
we're not tapping, and Chinese visitor numbers are still a
lot lower than pre COVID, So why are the Chinese
not come?
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Well, visitation from China has had a slower recovery for
New Zealand, though it is Chinese New Year next year,
so I'm hopeful that we'll see it boost from that.
And it's important to remember that the numbers that got
released today are actually reflective of November of last year,
so that's before the summer season and before the majority
(03:22):
of our international visitors arrive in New Zealand, which takes
us right through to the end of March.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Well, the ideas that have been floated around the place
and that we talked with Niicola Willis about at the
beginning of the week was visa free entry for China.
Would you support that?
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, I think these are some of the things that
other countries have done. They've looked at how they can
make it easier for a visitor considering New Zealand to
or considering their country to pick the country visa processing times,
the ease of getting a visa is definitely something that
we should be thinking about alongside how we're turning up
and China has touris in New Zealand, got enough money
(03:57):
to do a really good job for US trade missions
over there, have we got a good profile and also
making sure that Chinese consumers understand what holiday and New
Zealand looks like. You know, when they're thinking about going
on a break, do they think of New Zealand. We
want to make sure all of those things are being
thought about. And I think it's really important that we
(04:19):
are out there being proactive in the world. We should
never assume that people are thinking about New Zealand or
thinking about coming on holiday here. It's very important that
we're globally competitive and proactive.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
This is a slightly petty question, but I think it's
relevant and it's my final question. We want to get
people to come to New Zealand, but your company is
called your organization is called Tourism Industry ALTAH or so
will people overseas know what we're talking about when we
say are tehor.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Well TIA Tourism Industry a HERO is a business association
much like Business New Zealand. So my members are tourism
businesses in New Zealand. Tourism in New Zealand under the
banner of the one hundred percent Pure in New Zealand
campaign is the one out there marketing us to the world.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Okay, I get it. Differentiation and I thank you so
much for your time today. That is Rebecca Ingram from
tourism industry Altar
Speaker 2 (05:10):
All for more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, Listen live
to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.