Councils get $5.5m tourism boost

An extra $5.5m is up for grabs for new tourism infrastructure as the Government responds to demands for help from local authorities.

Tourism minister Paula Bennett said on Wednesday that the Regional Midsized Tourism Facilities Grant Fund would increase from $12m to $17.5m to help pay for toilets, carparks, waste disposal and minor water projects.

But it’s a case of rearranging the deck chairs because the money will come from an under-spend on another fund for the development of high quality visitor attractions.

The announcement comes a day after Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) released a survey of 47 councils which showed more than 683 tourism-related projects were in development at a cost of about $1.38b.

The $3m available in the first round of tourism infrastructure grants late last year was over-subscribed by $10m and of the 40 applications received, 14 were approved, mostly toilet blocks.

‘‘The first funding round tested demand for infrastructure support and we’ve responded accordingly. All original eligible applications will be reconsidered, as well as new applications that meet assessment criteria’’, Bennett said.

‘‘Facilities like these are normally the sole responsibility of the local council but we have recognised the challenges that have come with growth in tourist numbers and are assisting where appropriate’’, the minister said.

Councils with a small number of ratepayers will get priority and must contribute at least $100,000 to be eligible.

Applications close in just under a month.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) has criticised the lack of government support for tourism infrastructure as annual visitor numbers head towards 4 million.