Tourism huge economic earner for region

Yesterday’s opinion piece from HBRC councillor Neil Kirton contains several statements that I feel need to be corrected.

Kirton ought to be aware that Hawke’s Bay Tourism has actually worked with HBRC to consider alternative funding sources, and found they require national legislation to be applied.

Meanwhile, in the last few years Hawke’s Bay Tourism secured additional funding sources from local businesses as well as central government as a result of Covid-19 and Cyclone responses. In fact, in September Kirton passed on his congratulations on the overachievement of the industry funding secured.

Cr Kirton thinks that Hawke’s Bay Tourism can operate next year on a third of its current budget and no confirmed funding source beyond that time.

As directors of a limited liability notfor-profit company we cannot operate without a secured funding source.

Hawke’s Bay Tourism will close if it receives the proposed $520k for 24/25.

That funding is enough to cover staff severance payments and operational costs for three months. We will have no option but to announce the closure from July 1 and work constructively to manage the consequences.

HBRC gave three months’ notice of its intention to slash funding for tourism, with little time for us to do anything except fight for our future, and no time to work with other organisations to secure an alternative model.

Hawke’s Bay Tourism is not asking for a tourism subsidy; instead we are outlining the critical need for Hawke’s Bay to promote itself to the country and beyond, exactly the same way that every other region in New Zealand does, with the support of local or regional government investment.

Tourism is a huge economic earner for Hawke’s Bay, and that’s at risk if funding is cut.

George Hickton Chair, Hawke’s Bay Tourism

Unclaimed money

The article re millions of dollars of unclaimed money held by the IRD should be of interest to anyone who’s ever worked, held a bank account, Bonus Bonds or been part of a business, trust, sports or social club — in fact, anyone at all (including family members who’ve died, moved or gone overseas). There are thousands of people and clubs, etc, who could legitimately claim money held by IRD — simply because the account has been forgotten about or there wasn’t an upto-date address. The amounts shown are anything from a few hundred dollars to many thousands, so it’s worth a look. You don’t have to know all the details — do a search with just a surname or maiden name, try putting in Napier, Hastings, Hawke’s Bay as the search, try a particular area or suburb, or just a key-word that means something to you. It will bring up a list of possibilities that you might just be surprised is of interest. Much better for the money to be with its rightful owners than sitting at IRD for 25 years until it goes to government coffers. Happy searching!

Patricia Roberts Hastings

Tourism dollars

(HBT 4.5.24) ‘Passenger numbers are increasing, but are still to return to prepandemic levels’, says Wendie Harvey, of Hawke’s Bay Airport.

New Zealand along with most of the nations on earth has signed the Paris Agreement protocols to minimise Global Climate Change. Travel is not going to return to pre-pandemic levels any time in the foreseeable future.

Travel largely requires burning fossil fuels to move ships, aircraft, trains, buses and other vehicles. But more fundamentally none of these would be there without the prior mining, smelting, manufacturing and assembly of the metals required, together with the production and transporting of the plastics, fabrics and other furnishings that are involved. The costs — economically and environmentally — are beyond our reach.

Anyone involved in tourism should be looking seriously at a planned downsizing, and for some a different source of income.

The reduction in tourist spending is of less concern for us as most of it goes overseas, to the owners of airlines, cruise ships, tour companies, hotel chains and bus companies.

With less pressure here we will also have the time to expand our home gardening and consequently enjoy a more healthy diet. We have no obligation to finance overseas investors. (abridged)