Conservation investment is key
Throughout our region we have an abundance of spectacular features from rivers and mountains to beaches and forests.
Our country is renowned for its stunning landscapes and native wildlife. It’s a significant part of what draws thousands of visitors to our shores each year, which is great for our economy.
To help sustain this growth and our burgeoning tourism industry, it’s really important we invest in the very conservation areas that make visiting our part of the world so appealing.
In Budget 2017 the Government is making a commitment to invest $76 million on new and upgraded tourism infrastructure for the Department of Conservation. This funding boost is part of a $178 million tourism infrastructure package. The new funding will allow DOC to better manage the impact of visitor growth, while also protecting our biodiversity and threatened species.
The DOC estate is a wellknown, much loved asset. With the new funding, DOC will be able to upgrade and develop tourist facilities, as well as expand the Great Walks network.
The Great Walks network of premier multi-day tracks allow visitors to safely access and enjoy our most spectacular and diverse landscapes. The Whanganui Journey is a premier track that passes through a National Park and down the mighty Whanganui River. The Tongariro Northern Circuit, which is on our doorstep and includes the very popular Tongariro Crossing day walk, is another fantastic part of the network – and it’s soon to be expanded, with two new Great Walks being added to the mix.
There’s also a plan to develop a network of Great Short Walks and Great Day Walks. This will give people more options to enjoy New Zealand’s beautiful parks and conservation areas.
The Cycle Trails have certainly demonstrated the ability of regional tourism initiatives to create new business opportunities in rural and provincial New Zealand.
It’s important to note we’re not only working to enhance the quality of visitor experience for domestic and international visitors, we’re also focusing on supporting and protecting our captivating natural environment and native species.
In addition to this $76 million we’ve committed to tourism infrastructure, the Government recently announced $21.3m for Battle For Our Birds, $2.8m for a sea lion threat management plan and we released the first-ever Threatened Species Strategy.
It is a result of economic growth under National’s excellent fiscal management that we are in a position to invest in this invaluable sector. DOC is being funded to spend more than ever before on natural heritage and recreation work. There’s also more conservation work being done in New Zealand now than at any other time in our history.
This new funding for DOC demonstrates our commitment to supporting a thriving economy and a burgeoning tourism industry, while at the same time protecting our outstanding areas of conservation.