Aversion to visitor levy puzzling: mayor

• Published date: 18 April 2024
• Publication title: Otago Daily Times (New Zealand)

Last week, Act New Zealand leader David Seymour added his voice to the chorus of government voices against the idea. Mr Seymour promoted Act’s GST-sharing scheme as a solution, in which councils would get half the GST from housing consenting back to pay for infrastructure

Mr Lewers says while he is interested in that, and it would make a difference, ‘‘it only looks at growth in residents’’.

To the year ended September 19, 2023, though, the Queenstown Lakes district accounted for 11% of all guest nights in New Zealand, and 18% of all international guest nights; Queenstown accounted for 15% of all international guest nights.

Mr Lewers has been lobbying Tourism Minister Matt Doocey, in particular, for a levy.

Mr Lewers said there would be about $125million extra in council coffers by now had a 2018 MartinJenkins study into a levy been actioned that same year.

Over the first 10 years, it was projected there would be an extra $1billion of international visitor spend in the district.

‘‘It’s a pretty small investment for a very large return,’’ Mr Lewers said.

‘‘We’ve got an idea, or a proposal, that could provide an extra $1b of international spend in New Zealand, just in Queenstown alone ... but yet they don’t want to...