Levy just a drop in the ocean: Boult

THE Government’s border levy will not generate enough money to pay for his district’s tourism infrastructure needs, let alone the entire country’s, Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult says.

Mr Boult said if half the revenue raised by the levy was allocated to tourism — about $40 million — it would be enough to cover only the needs of his district.

‘‘So by the time this money gets spread across New Zealand it’s not nearly enough.’’

The Government announced on Thursday the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy would be set at $35 per visitor.

That would raise an estimated $80 million in its first year, to be split evenly between tourism infrastructure and conservation projects.

The levy is expected to come into force in the second half of next year after enabling legislation is passed.

Mr Boult said he would continue lobbying for a specific visitor levy for Queenstown Lakes and was having ‘‘positive engagement’’ with the Government on the issue.

But that would not stop him pushing for the greatest possible share of the new levy’s proceeds.

‘‘Let’s just say I find myself on firstname terms with the receptionist at the Beehive, and I will continue to do that until we get what we need.’’

Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis said the levy would give New Zealand the opportunity to be a ‘‘world leader in destination management’’.

It had been designed to ensure the tourism industry continued to provide ‘‘good experiences for both visitors and local communities’’.

The Government would be working with conservation, local government and tourism industry representatives on how the money would be spent.

The levy will be imposed on international visitors entering the country for 12 months or less, although Australians and citizens of many Pacific Island countries will be exempted.

It will be collected through visa fees and the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), a new border security measure that also aims to speed up the entry process.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) chief executive Chris Roberts said about 2.3 million visitors, or 60% of the country’s 3.8 million international visitors annually, would pay the levy.

The chief means of collection would be the ETA, which visitors from visawaiver countries such as the United Kingdom and United States would have to complete before travelling. They would have to pay an estimated $9 for the ETA as well as the visitor levy.

For visitors from countries that needed visas, such as India and China, the levy would be added to the cost of their visas.

Mr Roberts said the TIA’s support for the levy was conditional on there being clarity in the decisionmaking process for allocating the funds, and on priority being given to projects that ‘‘enhance the visitor and community experience’’.