Lewers looks to our future

• Published date: 18 July 2024
• Publication title: Mountain Scene

On population predictions

The numbers are ‘‘pretty confronting’’, Lewers says.

Present predictions are by 2054 the district’s resident population will be about 150,000, with a peak day population of up to 220,000 and a visitor population to Queenstown’s CBD alone of 70,000.

‘‘We have to set ourselves up to cater for that peak load,’’ he says.

‘‘You can have conversations about how we can turn the growth tap off — I’m of the view we can’t.

‘‘People want to come here ... we’ve used strategies of trying to manage growth, control growth, but I think from my point of view we just have to face up to the fact it’s coming and we have to plan for it.’’

On the visitor levy:

Lewers says there’s the beginning of a groundswell of support for a levy, noting the country’s hotels’ association and TIA are promoting versions, while Auckland mayor Wayne Brown’s also a fan.

‘‘When you’ve got one-third of the population now pushing for it, I think it’s a better chance than not at this point in time,’’ Lewers says.

He believes the change of...