May 11, 2023
Tourism Minister cost comments “unhelpful”
New Zealand Māori Tourism chair Dale Stephens says comments by Tourism Minister Peeni Henare about extreme pricing aren’t the sort of headlines the sector needs.
In the lead up to this week’s TRENZ tourism showcase in Christchurch, Mr Henare urged operators not to try to make up all their lost earnings during the pandemic in the next 12 months, and they should consider the impact on domestic tourists of surging costs for travel, accommodation and attractions.
Mr Stephens says he doesn’t see operators purposely hiking their prices to make a killing, but they are responding to the rising cost of living.
“I think we need to be very mindful of the fact our tourism sector is struggling, we’re doing our best to get up and running and comments like those from the minister, I don’t think they were that helpful,” he says.
Dale Stephens says TRENZ is a chance for Māori operators to show what they’re offering alongside everyone else in the sector, and get those products incorporated into the packages sold to offshore wholesalers.