Tourism Manifesto

Media Release
Tourism Manifesto

10 September 2008

The Motel Association of New Zealand represents over 1,000 businesses and organisations within the Accommodation industry.

Members operate in virtually every location in New Zealand. Motels are run by the operators who live on site.

Motels are New Zealand’s largest provider of commercial accommodation– accounting for 34.5% of this country’s bed night sold.

The Motel Association organises the New Zealand Motel Industry Conference and the AA Host of the Year Awards.

Go to www.manz.co.nz
“The Motel Association of New Zealand applauds the initiative of the Tourism Industry Association’s Tourism Manifesto”. Said Michael Baines Chief Executive of the association today. “Too long we have let one of New Zealand’s main industries be sidelined into an inappropriate position in our economy.”

“Tourism has been successful in spite of the way it has been treated in policy by successive governments but now it needs to be seen and have its concerns addressed. If we believe that what has been a major successful story, will continue to deliver to the country as a whole, when it’s fundamental needs continue to be ignored then we live in a fool’s paradise.

Successive governments have struggled to accept that they have a role in Tourism; this is no longer an option for any Government! The way forward, in the face of a changing and less certain world, will be with the Government and the industry working together. “A whole of Government” approach is required with all relevant departments working together for the same goals!

Of particular interest to the Motel Industry is the way that training is delivered to SMEs. The framework approach doesn’t come close to working when there is no career path. moteliers become moteliers after doing something else. The way that training and assistance needs to be delivered to moteliers and other small businesses is not serviced by what has become a gigantic industry in their own right the “Industry Training Organisations”. The ITO’s relevance to Moteliers is zero; any party that wishes to govern successfully will have to get the training required to those who need it in new and innovative ways. An iron-bound bureaucratic system will not deliver anything other than frustration to everybody.” Said Mr Baines.

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