Ready to ‘reimagine’ tourism? The Tourism Futures Taskforce wants you!

1st September 2020 By Staff Reporter | news@tourismticker.com | @tourismticker

Fancy a go at ‘reimagining’ New Zealand’s struggling tourism sector? Here is your chance.

The Government is looking to fill the gap in its Tourism Futures Taskforce after the departure of the recently-appointed Tourism Holdings chief financial officer executive Nick Judd.

A spokesperson for Kelvin Davis said the tourism minister was working in consultation with the Tourism Recovery Ministers group to appoint a suitable replacement for Judd, “following his decision to step down from the taskforce as a result of a conflict of interest“.

“Taskforce members are appointed on the basis of their skills, expertise and experience among other things, and not on the basis of representing individual stakeholders,” the spokesperson said.

Judd, a former Air New Zealand senior executive, was appointed chief financial officer for Tourism Holdings last month, leading the Government to review his position on the taskforce.

Tourism Holdings chief executive Grant Webster was already co-chair of the TFT, meaning there would have been two senior executives from the same company in the group.

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick was also a co-chair.

Other independent members on the taskforce included MDA Experiences and MTB Rotorua’s Tak Mutu, Conscious Travel founder Anna Pollock, Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated’s Ngahiwi Tomoana, and independent director and strategy consultant Sue Suckling.

They were joined by three senior officials, one each from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Tourism New Zealand, and the Department of Conservation.

The TFT today called for industry and public input into the future of tourism in New Zealand.

“The taskforce is moving at a pace to make recommendations about the future of tourism in New Zealand,” co-chair Webster said.

Calling for the tourism industry and public’s input into the future of tourism would be key to the TFT’s work, which was to provide advice to Government on what changes New Zealand could make to the tourism system.

The TFT was advised by a wider 34-strong advisory group, whose members were revealed last month. It was expected to provide an initial report on the future of New Zealand tourism in December 2020, with final recommendations and steps for implementation in April 2021.

Ideas submitted could help form the direction of the taskforce, which would also consider long-standing productivity, inclusivity and sustainability – environmental, social and economic – issues present in parts of the sector.

Contributions can be made by completing the online form before 5pm Tuesday 22 September.