National’s Tourism Accelerator would provide for hundreds of potential new projects across the tourism sector to
stimulate demand and support hundreds of thousands of workers, National’s Tourism spokesperson Todd McClay says.
The $100 million co-funding scheme is targeted at providing tools to the tourism sector as a whole to design and
implement initiatives that will help drive up demand and support the workers that are at-risk.
“In contrast, Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis confirmed in Parliament today that only around 60 tourism businesses will be
supported by the Government’s strategic asset protection programme under its Tourism Recovery Package,” Mr McClay says.
“With an estimated 38,000 tourism businesses in New Zealand, this would equate to just 0.2 per cent being supported with
this fund.
“What’s worse, the Minister cannot or will not provide answers on whether there has been any modelling or estimates on
how many jobs will be saved by his fund.
“This shows an astounding lack of strategic thinking and creativity by the Government, not to mention lack of discipline
when it comes to getting the best value from taxpayer spending.
“The tourism sector is on the front line of the economic impact of Covid-19 and faces continued pressure as borders
remain closed.
“This crisis has been rife for months now, yet the Government still lacks a clear plan on how it will save tourism jobs
and keep the sector afloat. Their ill-targeted $400 million fund hurriedly announced on Budget Day is not a plan.”