Tourism operators ‘disheartened’

• Published date: 05 August 2021

The master plan for the Milford Opportunities Project was released to the public last week, at a presentation in Te Anau.

The reaction from locals was cautiously optimistic, but tourism operators further afield were not so happy.

The cruise ship industry says a plan to ban cruise ships from the sound could result in fewer visits to other stops in the south, including Dunedin.

Queenstown tourism operators said they would be hit hard by the closure of the airport, which would stop visits by fixed-wing aircraft.

Years in the making, the project was in response to concerns of rapidly growing visitor numbers in Milford Sound/Piopiotahi.

Numbers peaked at 870,000 visitors in 2019, up from 430,000 in 2013.

Southland District Mayor Gary Tong believed the most controversial points would be the aerodrome runway removal and cruise ship ban.

‘‘That was the only time I heard any noise from the crowd.’’

But he believed the plan was well received.

However, there was anger from beyond Te Anau.

Queenstown Milford Users Group chairman and Glenorchy Air owner James Stokes said the proposal to close the airport was a...