A tourist hotspot - the Wanaka tree. Photo: RNZ / Kymberlee Gomes
Tourism operators hope a new travel data fund will mean they're no longer flying blind and give them better business confidence.
The new $400,000 contestable fund will support groups wanting to gather more information aimed to improve the industry's productivity or sustainability.
Tourism Data Leadership Group chair Steve Armitage said the lack of quality tourism data has been an industry bugbear for years, making it harder to attract investment and make decisions.
"We see data as a bedrock that that fund needs to be channelled towards," Armitage said.
"But we also want to make sure that there are other funding streams looked at too, which is why we've put that partnership model in there."
The group has released its strategic business plan which aimed to help the industry and government to make better decisions that were backed by consistent and reliable tourism insights and recommended how to allocate $5 million from the international visitor levy to support better data.
The plan - which included a recommendation to create the fund and work to cover data gaps - has been endorsed by Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
"It's one of the headlines for the plan. The minister's obviously acknowledged that there is an important role and we want to see other parties invest as well," Armitage said.
"It's not just about public funding going in. The partnership approach requires investment for those who are looking to secure part of that funding pot."
The money for the two-year fund is coming from the international visitor levy and opens next week.
"There has been, unfortunately in recent times, data sets that have been discontinued. We wanted to try to avoid as much as possible having this fund go towards propping up those funds. It needed to be about addressing gaps."
Doocey said both industries largely relied on private investment.
"That needs certainty to grow and what data and insights provides is the ability to make decisions based on that data and insights. That gives businesses certainty to invest another dollar or employ another person," Doocey said.
He wanted to work with the industry and help it to grow, he said.
"We know many tourist operators and sector bodies interests have a range of insights and data so by pairing up with them to co-fund more data and insights for the sector, that will be of great value to many tourist operators and initiatives across the country."
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment was also to resume forecasting international tourism forecasts, to help tourist operators plan.
Only listed industry bodies can apply for the Tourism Data Partnership Fund, but they were encouraged to partner with others.
Applications for the fund close at the end of next month.