The Tourism Industry Association (TIA) has identified tourism’s top six priorities for an incoming government for the next three years.
Sister trade associations have been quick to issue fawning press releases supporting the TIA, however it must be said that many of the priorities identified are predictable and devoid of business principals.
What are TIA's priorities? ...well, they calling for the incoming Government to:
1. Recognise tourism as a bedrock of New Zealand’s economy - Establish a Tourism Industry Taskforce to drive a whole-of government approach to issues affecting the industry and ensure the tourism portfolio is managed by a top ranking Minister.
2. Market Destination New Zealand - Increase public sector
investment for targeted offshore promotions to markets of strategic importance to New Zealand and for improved marketing efforts in the domestic market.
3. Invest in vital infrastructure - Invest in a national convention centre, cruise ship port facilities and other infrastructure improvements required to reduce seasonality and increase spending
from visitors to New Zealand.
4. Improve New Zealand’s environmental performance -
Enhance New Zealand’s environmental performance and the
capabilities of its tourism industry to deliver on the 100% Pure New
Zealand brand promise.
5. Invest in training and work skills initiatives - Ensure New
Zealand’s tourism businesses have the people they need to do
business and to deliver a high quality visitor experience.
6. Boost the return from major events - Maximise the return to
New Zealand of the Rugby World Cup 2011 and other major event
opportunities.
Requesting government's assistance in providing private goods, such as convention centres is unfortunate. The TIA should focus on the economic sustainability of their membership's own privately funded businesses without demanding the government fund an economically unsustainable Formica Palace. If a conference centre is sustainable, then it should be left to the private sector.
A cut and paste bland demand for the government to enhance New Zealand's environmental performance is a dangerous route to take. This invites the government to introduce further green taxation and bureaucracy.
The government's role in providing training for tourism businesses and employees is debatable. The rort of government funded "tourism" courses is a lucrative business for educational institutions that consume tax funds and produce little results. The tourism industry should treat all government funded initiatives at arms length and promote private sector and trade association initiatives that tailor training according to actual demand.
The best thing that TIA can advise an incoming government to do is to reduce tax, regulation, compulsion and bureaucracy... The tourism industry is made up of small pragmatic businesses that deserve better than being represented by a clutchbag of clichés
