Funding

Hamilton City Council has delayed an extension to its Victoria on the River boardwalk and an upgrade to the city’s Transport Centre because of Covid-19.

An additional $12m has been allocated to Whanganui’s Sarjeant Gallery redevelopment project from a Government infrastructure fund created in response to Covid-19.

The $230m support package for the screen sector will provide a significant boost to Auckland’s screen industry, says ATEED.

The new $10m Domestic Events Fund aims to help save jobs and protect incomes as New Zealand’s event sector recovers from the impacts of Covid-19.

A coastal pathway, art gallery and regional rejuvenation projects will be funded from the $3bn programme.

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern and tourism minister Kelvin Davis visited the Queenstown Lakes District on Friday spending the morning at Wayfare’s Cardrona Alpine Resort, near Wanaka, before a tour in the afternoon of its TSS Earnslaw steamer boat in Queenstown.

The council will take $445k from its tourism promotion budget, meaning less money for the region’s destination marketing bodies.

“This funding was completely unexpected. It was not talked about or anticipated at all that it would come to the RTOs.”

Operators have until 5pm today to get their applications in for support from the Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme.

Ōpōtiki will receive almost $4.5m for new footpaths, cycleway extensions and to improve horse trails in the district.

So far 483 business had signed up for programme.

The Government’s $20.2m cash injection for New Zealand’s regional tourism organisations will play a pivotal role in the sector’s rebuild.

The money would be allocated over four years for new tourism products and would require 30% co-investment.

Canterbury Museum director Anthony Wright says a proposed $195m redevelopment is needed to protect the historic buildings and collections.

Around 50 strategic tourism businesses are expected to be supported through the $400m Tourism Response Fund.

Regional tourism organisations under budget pressure have welcomed the new $20.2m funding from the Government but it came too late to save the job cuts announced in the past week.

Napier backpackers Archie’s Bunker has secured funding from the Napier City Council to turn part of its building into an ‘escape room’ in a bid to attract visitors.

Tourism minister Kelvin Davis says businesses will learn more tomorrow afternoon about the targeting of $400m allocated to the sector.

With its tourism-related funds under management almost tripling, where is MBIE putting the cash?

Smaller regional tourism organisations are at risk of being lost because their current destination funding model is inadequate, says Tourism Waitaki general manager Margaret Munro.

Kāpiti Coast Council is considering putting forward a funding application to the Provincial Growth Fund for the Kāpiti Island Gateway Building.

Karori Event Centre’s $1.2m fit-out has been given the go ahead by Wellington City Council after a unanimous vote of support at yesterday’s council meeting.

A look at the cash being diverted from tourism’s major funding sources.

Payouts for the Government’s wage subsidy scheme neared $10bn by the end of last week as businesses from across the country seek support during the Covid-19 crisis.

Councils around New Zealand are presenting the Government with lists of “shovel ready” projects collectively costing billions of dollars.

The Otago Regional Council will open online consultation on a proposed 18-month trial of a public service water ferry on Lake Wakatipu.

A Givealitte fundraising page has been set up to help moteliers whose businesses “are on the brink of collapse”.

Christchurch businesses impacted by Covid-19 have just been given a $200,000 leg-up by Christchurch NZ via a new business support subsidy.

Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones is looking at how the Provincial Growth Fund can be repurposed for initiatives deemed more critical to fighting the economic impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Some lenders are still reluctant to support operators despite the 80% Govt guarantee scheme, says the association.

Leading tourism industry stakeholders have broadly welcomed the Government’s $12.1bn economic package, although voiced concern that crucial parts of the sector are still “hanging on by a thread”.

Otago’s Dunedin Prison will commence further restoration work in the coming months following a $100,000 grant from the Otago Community Trust.

Hamilton City Council’s $360,000 Major Events Sponsorship Fund is opening for applications on Monday 2 March.

GO Rentals, Mahu City Express, and the Twin Coast Discovery tourist route will benefit.

Whangarei District Council has launched a fund to foster and celebrate new events.

The level of funding for Tourism New Zealand and the Government’s other tourism work will be announced on Thursday 14 May.

Applications have opened for the $7m Regional Culture and Heritage Fund available to performing arts venues, galleries, museums and whare taonga.

Heritage buildings throughout New Zealand will benefit from $1.1m in Heritage EQUIP funding grants.

The Productivity Commission has stepped back from its support of local bed taxes to help pay for infrastructure in tourism hotspots – a recommendation included in its draft report in July.

The tourism industry is claiming a win following the release of the Productivity Commission report into Local Government Funding and Financing, which sees it drop its support for local bed taxes.

The government has announced $12bn of new investment, $8bn for specific capital projects.

The cash will go towards 36 projects with the single biggest grant being almost $4m for Ruapehu District Council.

The council wants to ditch its $45m upgrade plan claiming a full redevelopment is required.

Tourism operators have contributed around $750,000 to ChristrchurchNZ’s new campaign to attract young domestic visitors to the city.

Tourism New Zealand has started talks with government boost its $111m annual budget.

The Government will inject $12m into the Waikato Regional Theatre project, courtesy of the Provincial Growth Fund.

Strong growth in domestic and international visitor spend in The Coromandel reached $496m, according to Destination Coromandel’s 2019 Annual Report.

Shotover Jet, Black Cat Cruises, and Explore Group are among the recipients of the govt cash.

Milford Sound Tourism could collect $30 a day from each visiting car following the introduction of a $10 per hour charge at its main carpark.

The NZTA has approved $14m in funding for walking and cycling improvements at the Wakatipu Basin.