January 1, 2026 • 5 mins
Queenstown Lakes District Mayor John Glover joins to sum up the year for the countries leading district in tourism.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News talk Ed. Be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Let's go to Queenstown. Alpine landscapes, world class food, wine
and skiing. Queenstown is already a major hotspot this summer.
It's got great walks, it's got bungee jumping, it's got
jet boating, and it's got a mayor. And the mayor
is John Glover, the Queenstown Lakes District Mayor, and John
joins you. Now good what is you?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yes, good morning, Andrew lovely to speak all.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Right, so lovely old Queenstown. They say that's the place
that has kept our tourism seek to afloat, would you agree.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
I mean, we're doing really well down here. We're very fortunate.
Unlike many other parts of the country, our visitor arrivals
have already exceeded now the pre COVID numbers, so we're
one of the few parts of the country that's recovered
after COVID. So that's great for us, and we just
hope we can share it around a bit.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Every time you guys do well, everybody starts talking about
your capacity to be able to accept the numbers and
to houance people as well. How's that capacity looking.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Oh, pretty stretched before us? The cost of housing, the
number of people moving into the area, the visitor increase,
they're all significant challenges that our counselor is trying to
deal with.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
For my time in QUEENSTOWNE, one of the biggest challenges
you have is trying to get accommodation for workers. And
I know from other places I've been to many hotels
for instance, operate hostels, et cetera. Is there any where you,
as a mayor can actually expand the number of accommodation
places for the workers.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Yet, we're working really hard on that. We're dealing with
government to try and get some changes made to legislation
that would allow us to get data from Airbnb as
to where the where all the properties are, because we
know that if we actually can make sure that people
who are using those platforms are paying the appropriate rate
(02:08):
and have the resource and sense, then some of those
will actually end up back in the rental market. So
that's one thing we're asking the government to do. Rules
are asking them to look at supporting our local housing
trust with land contributions as properties are sort of carved
up through the fast tracked process.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
When will the government right now will be saying, sorry,
this is your job. That's why you have the job.
You know that they don't like to get involved if
they can, except for putting on a rates cap.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Well, we've got the government wants tourism growth, okay, and
they want to grow the value of the economy, and
we can carve up the land. But at the end
of the day, we can't deliver that growth about tourism
growth in isolation. So the government have to come to
the party with things like public transports, schools. They help
all of the things that go together to make a
(02:58):
good community. Were one of those things that we don't
simply don't have a role in delivering, but they're absolutely essential.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
All right, Now, I come to Central Otago. Have you
coming to Central Otago every year for thirty years? But
I always come in winter because I'm a skier. So
tell me what's happening in Queenstown in summer and why
should I come?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Oh, there's a massive things. I mean, it's greater swimming
in the water, great for going hiking in the bush.
It's a completely different vibe. You know, maybe picnics down
by the lake just out and about those bikings. There's hiking,
that's fishing, just sitting in the middle of a bit
(03:38):
of native forest, starving at the water is just so restored.
But it doesn't cost a lot. You know, a lot
of these things that people come to Queenstown for are
pretty expensive. Word about skiing or going on a jetboat.
But there's a whole bunch of stuff that you can
do for not a lot of money that's really important.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
I don't really know about jumping into a lake because
I know it's still freezing and I'm just soft, so
there we go. But you've also got a load of events,
I know, I know there's some great cricket ground cricket
games happening at the ground by the airport. Got a
whole lot of extrall events hitening.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Oh yeah, absolutely, even before Christmas suite, you know, with
our local there performing out center Tiaamira. We've got kids
holiday programs also through January fireworks as you'd expect on
New Year's Eve, that's a big night in the district.
And then you've got the you know, the eclectic glen
orthur rasis. You know, the first week of January, people
come from all over the country just so they come
(04:32):
to this meet up and then yet the normals the
Lake Hays am T Show. That's that's a great yeah.
And there are things that our locals love but also
will resonate really well with visitors from elsewhere in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
And what's the Glover family doing for summer working good Man?
Good Man.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Yeah, for the last twenty five years, I've run my
own hospitality business. So it's like many other people at
this time of year, you know, it's a it's a
really busy talent. And yeah, so I think I'm always
conscious of those people that don't get the Christmas break
who are sort of keeping everything going back going on
(05:15):
in the background. I'll be one of those, so I'll
be doing my other job.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
It's good, hey, John, you and me both So John Glover,
Queenstown Lakes District Mayor, Hey, I thank you so much
for your time today. Have yourself a great summer.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Thank you well. You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
For more from News Talks d B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from News talk Ed. Be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Let's go to Queenstown. Alpine landscapes, world class food, wine
and skiing. Queenstown is already a major hotspot this summer.
It's got great walks, it's got bungee jumping, it's got
jet boating, and it's got a mayor. And the mayor
is John Glover, the Queenstown Lakes District Mayor, and John
joins you. Now good what is you?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yes, good morning, Andrew lovely to speak all.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Right, so lovely old Queenstown. They say that's the place
that has kept our tourism seek to afloat, would you agree.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
I mean, we're doing really well down here. We're very fortunate.
Unlike many other parts of the country, our visitor arrivals
have already exceeded now the pre COVID numbers, so we're
one of the few parts of the country that's recovered
after COVID. So that's great for us, and we just
hope we can share it around a bit.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Every time you guys do well, everybody starts talking about
your capacity to be able to accept the numbers and
to houance people as well. How's that capacity looking.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Oh, pretty stretched before us? The cost of housing, the
number of people moving into the area, the visitor increase,
they're all significant challenges that our counselor is trying to
deal with.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
For my time in QUEENSTOWNE, one of the biggest challenges
you have is trying to get accommodation for workers. And
I know from other places I've been to many hotels
for instance, operate hostels, et cetera. Is there any where you,
as a mayor can actually expand the number of accommodation
places for the workers.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Yet, we're working really hard on that. We're dealing with
government to try and get some changes made to legislation
that would allow us to get data from Airbnb as
to where the where all the properties are, because we
know that if we actually can make sure that people
who are using those platforms are paying the appropriate rate
(02:08):
and have the resource and sense, then some of those
will actually end up back in the rental market. So
that's one thing we're asking the government to do. Rules
are asking them to look at supporting our local housing
trust with land contributions as properties are sort of carved
up through the fast tracked process.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
When will the government right now will be saying, sorry,
this is your job. That's why you have the job.
You know that they don't like to get involved if
they can, except for putting on a rates cap.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Well, we've got the government wants tourism growth, okay, and
they want to grow the value of the economy, and
we can carve up the land. But at the end
of the day, we can't deliver that growth about tourism
growth in isolation. So the government have to come to
the party with things like public transports, schools. They help
all of the things that go together to make a
(02:58):
good community. Were one of those things that we don't
simply don't have a role in delivering, but they're absolutely essential.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
All right, Now, I come to Central Otago. Have you
coming to Central Otago every year for thirty years? But
I always come in winter because I'm a skier. So
tell me what's happening in Queenstown in summer and why
should I come?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Oh, there's a massive things. I mean, it's greater swimming
in the water, great for going hiking in the bush.
It's a completely different vibe. You know, maybe picnics down
by the lake just out and about those bikings. There's hiking,
that's fishing, just sitting in the middle of a bit
(03:38):
of native forest, starving at the water is just so restored.
But it doesn't cost a lot. You know, a lot
of these things that people come to Queenstown for are
pretty expensive. Word about skiing or going on a jetboat.
But there's a whole bunch of stuff that you can
do for not a lot of money that's really important.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
I don't really know about jumping into a lake because
I know it's still freezing and I'm just soft, so
there we go. But you've also got a load of events,
I know, I know there's some great cricket ground cricket
games happening at the ground by the airport. Got a
whole lot of extrall events hitening.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Oh yeah, absolutely, even before Christmas suite, you know, with
our local there performing out center Tiaamira. We've got kids
holiday programs also through January fireworks as you'd expect on
New Year's Eve, that's a big night in the district.
And then you've got the you know, the eclectic glen
orthur rasis. You know, the first week of January, people
come from all over the country just so they come
(04:32):
to this meet up and then yet the normals the
Lake Hays am T Show. That's that's a great yeah.
And there are things that our locals love but also
will resonate really well with visitors from elsewhere in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
And what's the Glover family doing for summer working good Man?
Good Man.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Yeah, for the last twenty five years, I've run my
own hospitality business. So it's like many other people at
this time of year, you know, it's a it's a
really busy talent. And yeah, so I think I'm always
conscious of those people that don't get the Christmas break
who are sort of keeping everything going back going on
(05:15):
in the background. I'll be one of those, so I'll
be doing my other job.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
It's good, hey, John, you and me both So John Glover,
Queenstown Lakes District Mayor, Hey, I thank you so much
for your time today. Have yourself a great summer.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Thank you well. You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
For more from News Talks d B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
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