Tourism in the Hurunui

Candidates were asked how the Hurunui District can capitalise on tourists travelling through the district heading to Hanmer Springs.

Judith McKendry said when Hanmer Springs is busy, you can be rest assured that businesses in Amberley and those townships further north are busy also. ’’Encouraging visitors, be they day trippers or longer term tourists to our district is a primary goal of mine.’’

Kevin Roche had several suggestions on ways visitor numbers could be better utilised by the district. ‘‘Look to the future by locating an electric vehicle (EV) charging station in Amberley, providing time for shopping (20 minutes) and allowing EV owners to travel Christchurch to Hanmer and return.’’

Geoff Shier points out there is more on offer in the beautiful Hurunui than just Hanmer Springs to attract tourists. ‘‘The Hurunui has two main pillars of tourism: Hanmer Springs Alpine Spa Village and the Waipara Valley wine region. All tourism activities and operators benefit from an increased flow of visitors through the region. We need to work with influencers and organisations that can direct travellers to our beautiful part of the country.’’

Marie Black also said more collaboration is needed with tourism operators. ’’Hurunui is in a unique position with the Alpine spa village of Hanmer Springs, we must continue to collaborate with Hurunui operators and collectively identify opportunities that will allow the entire district to benefit.

Richard Davison also said the Hurunui district is fortunate with a range of tourism opportunities including the Hanmer Springs pools, vineyards and wine with a coastal and mountain environment.

Tourism is a key issue for many districts around the country.

We asked candidates standing for the Waimakariri District Council what more can be done to attract visitors to the district, to make it a destination place in its own right.

Andrea Allen said the consistent annual increase of tourist spending highlights the importance of maintaining existing attractions and adding new ones.

‘‘Our environment and our natural assets form the basis for this; increase river based events, premium outdoor concerts. The council needs to play a greater role in facilitating and supporting events to ensure they reach a wider market, using and maximising existing relationships.’’

Al Blackie said the tourism industry is well placed and coordinated to attract visitors to the District.

‘‘ENC are on a roll with their new HQ in Kaiapoi. Kaiapoi Community Board has a campervan