Manic Tourism in New Zealand 2016

Posted Aug 16th 2016 to Nine to Noon on Radio New Zealand National

Thanks for your discussion with Rod Oram on tourism in 2016
I suppose the big problem with the John Key tourism model if that it is brainless..

As usual we are not thinking about what we want or where we are going  but we do know
Someone will benefit at the expense of someone else if we leave thinking to the “invisible hand”

AS it stands at the moment Air New Zealand is “dumping” passengers on this country without thought to where they will all go.
And they have encouraged other airlines to follow..

The Department of Conservation is a bunch of New Age Hippies thrown into the Tourism business there structure is not set up
to deal with business and there are no internal incentives for them to change. And... any money they make is stripped from them
by the Beehive.

Kiwis are not able to get into the tourism game as they did in the past unless they have a war-chest to set them selves up for that is a fickle
Industry.

Airline carbon footprints and Chinese middle class desires are not set in stone at this point in the narrative...
nor is our exchange rate.

If we want to make use of this boom we can only manage it on a government level ... It is not a good private investment portfolio because it is all based on
windfalls of incompetence.

Even the “High Stake” private companies (like Real Journeys) are riddled with Paranoia about the future to a point where they live in fear of shadows.

AS for the HUGE campsite of the Eglinton Valley Fiordland, The NZ taxpayer is footing the bill basically subsidizing the Milford Tourist Boat Companies early boat departures
at the expense of the Local Motor Park Industry 

 

Wilding Pines of New Zealand

Posted 23rd of April 2016 to the Fiordland Advocate Newspaper Te Anau NZ

 We read that the natural Self Seeding of Pine Trees in New Zealand is offending people again
It seems to be a NZ thing that some Trees have to conform to a set of rules or pay for their anarchist immoral ways.
It is somewhat odd to me that this has become a political “thing” when it is clear that all our Real Ecological Disasters
are cause by unfettered capitalism combined with an almost reckless lack of Statesmanship from our elected leaders,
Velvet-Leaf being the latest in a pile of stuff ups.

The Idea there is No Place in New Zealand for Exotic Flora seems to be somewhat quaint in the face of Global Climate Change
but our Government appears to think the Anthopocene (the era of Human Modification of the Planet) is not applicable to remote
Island Nations so I can not see our situation getting any better... Pine Seeds or no. 

New Zealand's Fiordland National Park Strategy 2016

Posted 6th March 2016 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

Last Fridays Edition of the Southland Times evokes some comment I think.
With budget airfares bringing more young people with very little or no spending money to NZ we have to
consider how we deal with them to keep them out of trouble. The Department of Conservation has been great at
providing budget campsites on an industrial scale but there are no real Budget Walks of Boat Trips in our National Parks.

It is worth mentioning that our Government has been actively cutting back maintenance services to Lesser Tracks and Huts
and that all the promotional focus has been on Great Walks big name hikes.

Also in this region the call for a proper Winter Track in Fiordland has been dismissed, forcing people into the Alpine Danger Zones

To me the sad thing is that we once promoted “People in Parks” as a national pastime now we only get Rich People in Parks,
and young people or working kiwis and guest workers are left out in the cold by our so called representatives.   

Louis and Lemieux died on the Jackson Peaks for several reasons. One should not be because they had a desire for adventure.

New Zealand Tourism Strategy... or not

Posted 14th February 2016 to the Dominion Post Newspaper Wellington NZ

 Reading the Fairfax news that the Department of Conservation is Straining to keep up with the Tourism Boom with its slimmed down Budget from our Government
I think the Minister in Charge should put up or get out of the way and let the Department built it’s own Tourism Industry...
It’s Staff get almost no incentives from the great boom in tourism, they do no get to be part of it nor does the Department as a whole.
Lots of DOC staff are University Educated now and can come up with great innovations if allowed.. They are wasted on Cleaning Toilets for low budget Campervan patrons.
Imagine if Fontera was run like that?  and yet Tourism has surpassed them. Good tourism needs real smart and creative people.. And smart people can not live on thin air and promises!

 

Department of Conservation NZ: Cycling

Posted February 2nd 2016 to the Dominion Post Newspaper Wellington NZ

Years ago our Department of Conservation Rule- makers  thought they could write Rules for the use of our National Parks in Stone.
This was a noble thought for our National Parks to be held in higher regard than the members of the public but sometimes thing got a little out of hand
with Puritanical Ideas. The Idea of Cycling in our Parks seemed repugnant to someone in those days as bringing along with Dogs and Shot Guns on a hike.
But Now times have Changed and the Idea that some parts of some National Parks should be set aside for Cycleways.. And there is a movement that a review of the Rules should be undertaken.
But Perhaps that is not needed as the System currently allows Wheeled Vehicles under permit it seems. I think the Department could with in its own rites  Issue a “Bike Pass” permit for selected parks for a modest price,
covering not just new trails but suitable walking tracks in the Off Season or Special Events...It could help pay some maintenance bills. just a suggestion but Perhaps the Minister in charge might have some helpful comments ? 

 

New Zealand Tourism Bubble 2015

Posted 22nd December to Morning Report Radio New Zealand

Why are people sounding Happy that our Tourism Industry will be broken by shear numbers in February
This is not good for the Country or the Industry it is a Bubble.
Our Government has failed us again. Surely the objective of good Tourism is To improve the Quality of the Product
Not burst it for a four week boom. Ironically the Department of Conservation is the Key Player in Our Tourism Industry yet there is a total lack of Funds
For the Department to Improve its Services and Products let alone Expand them.

The system is Broken and our Tourism Leadership is about inept as it can be.