Tourism booms but investment needed

Maori tourism operators could dip their oars deeper into a burgeoning tourism market. Photo / File

Tourism is on the up in Northland but is still a few decent roads and other kinds of networks away from being a boom industry.

Statistics New Zealand's latest figures show the region's tourism gross domestic product (DPG) rose 8.1 per cent in the last year, well ahead of the national growth rate of 5.6 per cent. Tourism earnings were 3.7 per cent of Northland's total GDP.

Good though that figure is, growth might stand still or slip back unless the region's infrastructure is brought up to a more acceptable standard, said David Wilson, chief executive of Northland Inc.

The downside of higher visitor numbers was that it highlighted weaknesses in the region's infrastructure, "and that remains a knotty core issue", Mr Wilson said.

"In particular, the state of our roads becomes an issue when we have, for example, bike tourists and heavy vehicles sharing the same road. This becomes a national concern not just a regional one as the safety of our visitors is paramount to visitor perception of New Zealand," he said.

"At a time when national focus is on Northland and the state of our infrastructure is topical, we're also making the point that the visitor industry must be able to co-exist with other key industry sectors in Northland."

Mr Wilson said a range of businesses were seeing the benefits of tourism growth.

But despite the healthy growth figures, development within tourism is patchy, said Hone Mihaka, Te Tai Tokerau Maori Cultural Tourism Association chairman. Maori cultural tourism accounted for only a small piece of the action, Mr Mihaka said.

"In terms of Maori tourism, I would say we've got a long way to go for the real benefits to filter down to our Maori communities. For the average Maori tourism operator, times are still tough," he said.

"But this is the only place in the world where visitors can have a completely unique Ngapuhi tourism experience, and I believe the future of Northland's Maori tourism will definitely hinge on that more authentic product."

While the region needs upgraded services and infrastructure, possibly more immediately pressing for Maori was greater uptake of development opportunities, Mr Mihaka said.

Northland Tourism Facts (2014)
*Tourism GDP growth up 4.9 per cent, and 3.7 per cent of Northland's GDP.
*3903 people employed in tourism (up 1.9 per cent from 2013)
*Visitor spending was $575 million (up 6 per cent)
*Most visitors were New Zealanders (domestic 68 per cent; international 32 per cent).