ChristchurchNZ expects the city will benefit from a visitor spend upwards of $2.5 million from TRENZ. Photo: 123rf
The tourism industry wants to rebuild better than ever, saying a new era is ahead.
More than 1500 travel delegates are in Christchurch for the country's biggest tourism business event, TRENZ.
This week's bad weather has been a stark reminder that any tourism rebuild needs to focus on resiliency.
Tourism Minister Peeni Henare told TRENZ Cyclone Gabrielle had created a lot of challenges for the sector and its rebuild, but solutions were being sought.
"One of the ways we can ease the burden locally, while also supporting tourism and other economies to get back on their feet in those regions, is to invest heavily in the infrastructure that supports that region."
On Tuesday the government committed to building a multi-million dollar bridge and repairing State Highway 25A to reconnect Coromandel peninsula after it was decimated by a landslide.
Henare said this was one of the ways to support tourism businesses - by making areas more accessible to tourists.
But part of the industry rebuild was also ensuring tourism it was more resilient.
"As recent extreme weather events in New Zealand have highlighted, there is an urgent need to prepare for such extreme events.
"That is why the environment phase of the Tourism Industry Transformation Plan focuses on three key areas - climate change adaption, climate change mitigation and fostering positive ecological outcomes."
The draft plan was due to be released mid-year.
Henare believed there needed to be a range of tourism offerings - from high end to budget.
But he was pleased to hear some operators had chosen to limit their visitor numbers and strive for more premium services.
"For those who do decide to look towards either capping their visitor numbers, it's not always about seeking … high value, it's also trying to control volume in order to give an offering that they think is going to be of high value, and I think that's a really good way of looking at it."
Today, Air New Zealand announced a multi-billion dollar investment in new aircraft, more seating and marketing over the next five years.
Chief executive Greg Foran said survival mode was done and dusted.
"We're out of revive, we're in to thrive. We've got our swing back, we're back to all 30 destinations, the planes are up and operating, so yes, I think we can move on from where we were as recently as six months ago."
Scott Tasker from Auckland Airport said travel has rebounded faster than expected, but he did not believe international seat capacity would reach pre-Covid levels until 2025.
"We are at about 90 percent recovery of seat capacity, but I think the final 10 percent is probably the hardest 10 percent. Getting that final back to 2019 levels requires us to work pretty hard to get some airline partners to add that final 10 percent."
Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Rebecca Ingram unveiled plans for a new regenerative tourism strategy as they head towards 2050.
It was aimed at reducing tourism's carbon footprint, support the industry's workforce, embed Māori perspectives and introduce new funding mechanisms so it can progress its own future.
"We see it very much as a living document. What we have experienced over the last few years illustrates the importance of making sure that we are adapting and evolving as an industry.
"So the intention is to set a 2050 horizon, likely a 10 year action plan."
Consultation for the industry's strategy opens in June with plans to launch the final strategy in August.