Politics

National Party Covid-19 response spokesperson Chris Bishop is calling on the government to drop pre-departure testing requirements for incoming visitors “right now”.

The government and Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi have put a “handbrake” on the tourism industry because of their failure to attract skilled workers from overseas, according to the National Party.

ACT party leader David Seymour is calling on the government to explain why it has chosen to stagger the border reopening.

The Auditor General’s Report on the Strategic Tourism Asset Protection Programme confirmed that this Labour government has been biased and unfair, says National tourism spokesperson Todd McClay.

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The government needs to bring forward isolation-free travel for vaccinated and tested visitors before more tourism businesses close, says National’s tourism spokesperson, Todd McClay.

National Party’s tourism spokesperson says the minister won’t decide how the sector is shaped in the recovery – industry will.

The government is abandoning the NZ tourism industry, says the National Party’s Todd McClay.

Kiwis need to know what support is available for struggling industries, when gathering limits on hospitality will be removed, and when vaccine passes will no longer be required, says the National Party.

The National Party has criticised the government’s Omicron response, saying New Zealand needs to reopen to the world.

The ACT Party is calling on the Government to end its “ban on travel” to New Zealand.

The government’s priority should be saving tourism businesses struggling to pay their bills and survive, rather than passing regulation on campervans, says National’s tourism spokesperson Todd McClay.  

MIQ should be scrapped for double-vaccinated arrivals now, says the National Party.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay has fallen out of the National Party’s shadow cabinet following new leader Chris Luxon’s reshuffle.

The government’s proposed restrictions on freedom camping do not do enough to protect, says National MP Maureen Pugh.

The Botany MP has taken the top job with Nicola Willis elected deputy leader.

Tourism and hospitality businesses need more details from the government about its proposed ‘traffic light’ system, says Todd McClay.

The government’s tourism Industry Transformation Plan shows it is unaware of the harm being done to the sector, says Todd McClay.

New Zealand should follow Australia’s lead and scrap managed isolation and quarantine for fully vaccinated travellers, says National’s Covid-19 response spokesperson Chris Bishop.

The Department of Conservation’s decision to end the waiver for concession fees at the end of this year will force some operators out of business, says the National Party.

The Back in Business plan also includes $100 ‘dine & discover’ vouchers to help hospo, accom, and tourism.

Tourism operators around the country need more support and more specifics as the loss of the Auckland market renders businesses untenable, says Todd McClay.

Opposition parties have released border re-opening plans that focus on a move away from eradication to containing Covid-19 but refrain from setting specific dates for lifting border restrictions.

The extension of Copvid-19 alert level 4 settings for Auckland and level 2 elsewhere into next week will be the final straw for many businesses, says National’s Todd McClay.

The ACT Party says progress on proof of Covid-19 vaccination for travel purposes is too slow and will run into problems with verification due to the lack of requirement to show identification during the inoculation process.

The National Party says the government does not understand the severity of conditions under the new level 2 rules that hospitality businesses face.

National Party spokesperson for tourism Todd McClay says the details of business support for some South Island regions released yesterday provide nothing new for struggling tourism operators.

A range of opposition spokespeople for portfolios related to tourism have been announced by the National Party following a reshuffle.

The ACT Party is proposing a fund for insuring major events as the effects of Covid-19 continue to threaten the sector.

Tourism minister Stuart Nash has taken three briefings specifically related to bed taxes, says the ACT Party.

The tourism minister defends his TPS speech and says he did announce new support for the sector.

Around 42,000 Kiwis have signed the National Party’s call to open the trans-Tasman bubble petition.

Talks have moved from a joint decision making framework with Australia to “more of a unilateral approach”.

The National Party has launched a petition calling on the Government to get a move on with the trans-Tasman travel bubble.

The trans-Tasman bubble has been urged to open by opposition leader Judith Collins and Australian PM Scott Morrison shares her remarks.

Party leader Judith Collins says it will also help open up NZ’s stretched MIQ facilities.

The Government must provide targeted support for struggling Fiordland and Glacier Country operators, says the National Party.

Tourism minister Stuart Nash faced criticism in Parliament over his “very hard conversations” comments directed at tourism operators.

A Matariki public holiday could cost almost $450m, according to figures obtained by ACT leader David Seymour.

The Green Party has called on all political parties to embrace the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton’s Not 100% – but four steps closer to sustainable tourism report.

The Government must urgently redirect support to the ailing tourism sector, says National’s tourism spokesperson, Todd McClay.

The Government must immediately release its reports into how Covid infected three people at the Pullman Auckland, says National’s Covid response spokesperson, Chris Bishop.

The Government has “kneecapped” the tourism sector by causing the Le Lapérouse cruise ship to cancel its season, says the National Party.

National’s Chris Bishop said a Cook Islands bubble was taking far too long.

Former Air NZ boss Chris Luxon is ranked 30th out of 33 in the National Party’s new caucus.

National will amend the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act to support wine tourism if they are elected into Government.

The National Party says in its ‘Supporting our tourism sector’ policy that it will help the industry rebuild.

STAPP, trans-Tasman travel, and even TNZ’s “dry” domestic campaign were canvassed in a lively event at the resort.

Tourism’s political heavyweights exchanged policy blows in two virtual encounters for media and industry.