Submission Details

The services we provide

What do you think we should do?

Proposed option: Continue to provide all the current services, to mostly the same standard?

Any other comments on this?

Dear Mayor Wilcock and Councillors Draft Long Term Plan 2024-2034: Submission from Tourism Export Council of New Zealand On behalf of the Tourism Export Council of New Zealand (TECNZ) we are writing in support of Hamilton Waikato Tourism (HWT) for ongoing funding in the event any proposed funding cuts in the Long Term Plan 2024-2034 are being considered for Hamilton Waikato Tourism. As noted on page 24 for the Council’s Long Term Plan there is a proposal to reduce community grants and funding to regional initiatives like the regional economic development agency, or the regional tourism agency, or Waikato Screen. The Tourism Export Council of New Zealand is the private sector national tourism organisation that influences visitor flows in the international tourism sector. Our primary members, Inbound Tour Operators (ITOs) act as the commercial conduit with tourism businesses in your community with offshore markets (like Fonterra does). ITOs package up New Zealand tourism suppliers into an itinerary and sell offshore to tour wholesalers and travel agents to make it easier for prospective visitors to New Zealand to ‘buy’ a New Zealand holiday. ITOs work very closely with regional tourism organisations like Hamilton Waikato Tourism. ITOs rely on RTOs to keep them updated with new visitor experiences, products, plans (like Te Aroha Spa and cycle trails) so when ITOs go to sell the region offshore they are fully up to date with what businesses can be included from the Matamata-Piako District. Matamata-Piako’s visitor products and experiences are promoted through the great work the RTO does and also by larger visitor experiences like Hobbiton Movie Set Tours. When you think of all the international visitors your district sees, every business (motels, hotels, B&Bs, supermarkets, jewellers, cafes, petrol stations) has to ask themselves, how does an international visitor know to come to our town/s or walk through my front door? Does a café or motel owner go offshore to market their business (café) to international visitors? In most cases, the answer is no. Visitors find their way to the front door of accommodation providers, cafes, and retail outlets because of the following parties promoting and marketing your district. • Hamilton Waikato Tourism (RTO) has been investing and promoting the district offshore • ITOs have been investing, promoting and packaging up your visitor products and experiences • Local Matamata-Piako businesses have invested with international marketing to promote the district e.g. Hobbiton Movie Set Tours The collective investment by these parties has resulted in the Matamata-Piako district having a strong profile in many countries resulting in travel agents putting Matamata-Piako on their New Zealand itineraries. Without having a fully resourced RTO capability in the future who can objectively continue to promote all the paid and free experiences visitors can do (walks, reserves, cycling, visiting heritage sites, gardens, attend events, attend conferences etc.), there is potential for less international visitors to put Matamata-Piako on their NZ itineraries. Tourism operates ‘in advance’ of when visitors arrive and spend money in the district often marketing two-three years in advance. HWT is a fully functioning RTO that undertakes marketing activity and destination management in the following areas: • International marketing (holiday visitors) • Domestic marketing (leisure) • Event marketing (events that attract visitors from outside the region) • Conference and incentive marketing • The RTO works with airports, transport providers, Iwi and government agencies like Department of Conservation, NZ Transport Authority, NZ Cycle Trust that help influence improved services and infrastructure for ratepayers as well as for visitors. If funding is reduced, some marketing activity and engagement with destination management planning will be affected. • Reduced funding = reduced marketing activity • Working with travel trade (offshore travel agents and tour wholesalers) takes years to establish reputation. Once the relationship the RTO has with offshore travel trade has been severed (if the RTO no longer is able to do in-market training with agents) it can take years to rebuild a new relationship. • A dilution of the RTOs message could see less visitors in the future. The RTO is the primary voice in attracting visitors in a competitive market to your local area. • If there are less visitors there is the potential for job losses within the community Hamilton Waikato Tourism is highly valued within the New Zealand tourism industry and with offshore trade. Through its exceptional leadership by Nicola Greenwell and the great work that the team does offshore with training agents, and onshore with Inbound Tour Operators, they have built strong, credible, and valued relationships with industry. The HWT team are great ambassadors for your district and region, and they work with pride in representing and promoting Council’s visitor services, products, and experiences. We (TECNZ) are mindful that Councils have enormous pressure on budgets as you face many planned and unplanned expenses and costs in order to serve your community well. It is a challenging time economically and that affects some of the services you provide ratepayers. We hope in the event with your budgeting you can retain the same level of funding for Hamilton Waikato Tourism. We know you will continue to be served well by the HWT team in the future. We would be happy to speak to this submission in person. We wish Council all the best with its deliberations and future planning. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Ngā mihi nui Lynda Keene Chief Executive Officer TOURISM EXPORT COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND PO BOX 19258, WELLINGTON 6141, NEW ZEALAND M: 027 6644 836 E: lynda@tourismexportcouncil.org.nz W: www.tourismexportcouncil.org.nz