Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks to media after his State of the Nation address on 23/1/2025. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The government has announced a $30 million spend on tourism infrastructure and biodiversity projects.
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka, alongside Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, made the announcement at the post-Cabinet brief on Monday.
It includes $11m spent to improve popular visitor sites and further $19m towards biodiversity efforts.
The $11m tourism funding would go towards:
- Upgrades to huts, car parks and facilities at Aoraki Mt Cook, Rangitoto Island and Motutapu Island
- Safety upgrades to 116 cable structures including suspension and swing bridges
- Investment at Goat Island / Te Hāwere a Maki to improve beach access, car parking, and reflect the area's significant cultural heritage.
The $19m biodiversity funding would go towards:
- Stopping the spread of wallabies and managing deer and goat populations in National Parks and popular visitor areas to allow nature to thrive
- Targeted predator control to protect native species especially the critically endangered Southern Dotterel birds in Rakiura National Park
- Stopping and removing wilding pines from our iconic landscapes.
Potaka said the spending came from the government's International Visitor Levy which is paid for by tourists entering the country, from the funds raised before the government increased the cost from $35 per tourist to $100.
It follows the announcement on Sunday of a further $500,000 spent on an ad campaign for attracting Australian tourists during the off-peak "shoulder season".
Labour and the Greens supported tourism growth at the time but said there should instead be more funding for tourism infrastructure, which was already struggling to cope with demand in some areas.
The "Everyone Must Go" slogan also faced criticism and mockery from the parties as well as as well as the public.
Meanwhile, Luxon also faced questions about Destiny Church, health officials, golden visas and the country's new tourism logo.
Luxon will be hosting his regular post-Cabinet brief about 4pm on Monday.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
