Tourism strategy paints bleak picture of rebounding region

period experiencing a 75 per cent increase in guest nights, compared to 2011-12.

Year on year, guest nights shot up 11 per cent. It is pleasing to see the council is set to permanently ban non-self contained freedom campers from cadging off the city. And the muchvaunted concerns about hotel bed shortages is being whittled away by the month.

In the past few weeks alone, the Rydges hotel repair has been confirmed, as has the old Millennium hotel, which will be rebranded under the Distinction Hotel banner.

The visitor strategy also paints an unflattering, misleading picture of the hospitality sector, citing a lack of eateries and entertainment venues.

At last count, there are now over 800 hospo venues in Christchurch, back to pre-quake levels. You could argue the arsenal of culinary offerings is far more inventive and exciting, than pre-quake.

The visitor strategy urges the city council to strongly advocate for the rapid delivery of all anchor projects.

Thankfully, the Convention Centre has now been confirmed for delivery by the end of 2019, however, a major activity driver has been deliberately delayed by the council themselves.

The stadium project is not scheduled for delivery until at least 2025, which knee-caps the strategy’s strong call for the council to aggressively secure major events for Christchurch. Plus it leaves that gaping vacant site off Madras St marooned as an unsightly tumbleweed- catcher, for another decade.

The visitor strategy also calls for the council to work with private sector partners to develop ‘‘new visitor attractors’’ to the city.

The Christchurch Adventure Park is a star specimen, although unlike that promising venture, do ratepayers really want to routinely help bankroll privately-owned initiatives, in a bid to bolster Christchurch’s destination stature?

A crucial issue that the visitor strategy barely touches on, but where firm leadership is overdue, pertains to the cruise industry.

Cruise arrivals are now New Zealand’s third largest holiday market behind Australia and China, with an estimated 267,000 passengers sailing here during the last cruise season.

Dunedin has now trumped Christchurch as the South Island’s premier cruise port, due to Akaroa’s profound limitations, and the increasing prevalence of mega-ships sailing our way. As sole-owners of the Lyttelton Port Company, the city council should punch through the impasse and ensure a new cruise terminal at Lyttelton is established.

Similarly, if the council really wants to walk the waffle on its visitor strategy, and if it sincerely wants the Garden City to be ‘‘vibrant and edgy,’’ neutering Victoria St with a 1am shutdown would be the worst possible act.

This thriving nightlife precinct, on the doorstep of the city centre, should be celebrated, not sabotaged.