Urgent need for change

Mayor Glyn Lewers says Queenstown has known for a long time that diversification is essential. In 2015, the Economic Development Strategy positioned it as a high priority. However, Covid-19 has made the case for change “even more compelling – and urgent”.

“With the tourism tap turned down to a trickle, it became immediately clear we needed alternative industries to provide ongoing employment and income for our communities,” Lewers says. “We faced a significant community crisis, with thousands of people slipping through the gaps in the welfare system. It was an incredibly difficult time, but it was a valuable catalyst.”

He says their research shows that Queenstown is one of the least economically diversified places in the country. It is heavily reliant on tourism and economic diversification is “not a quick game”.

Glyn Lewers

An economic diversification plan is being finalised, while a new destination management plan, ‘Travel to a Thriving Future’, has been launched to ensure tourism is community and environment centric, taking a regenerative approach and seeking to give back more than it takes. It has a bold goal of achieving carbon zero by 2030.

“The destination management plan and the economic diversification plan are the two sides of the coin – our way forward to achieve the community’s vision for a thriving, zero-carbon community that provides opportunities for all,” Lewers says.

Based on data from Infometrics, tourism contributed 21 per cent to GDP in the district in 2021, but is soon expected to return to its pre-Covid-19 level of 40 per cent, he says. It was directly responsible for 31 per cent of all employment in 2021 and is expected to return to the pre-Covid-19 level of 55 percent in the near future. “This is significantly higher than the national average in both regards, but the true figures are likely higher still due to the relatively narrow definition of tourism that is used,” he says.

Lewers says they are 100 per cent behind the development of a tech sector in Queenstown, but they want to avoid any one industry holding the dominance it does now. “It’s important we aim for a good balance and mix. We have always strongly supported the development of the film and screen industry in the district and there’s a fledgling centre of conservation expertise and alternative energy building here, too. There’s room for a range of exciting industries that fit our values, but it’s likely that tech will play a role in most of them.”

Many of Queenstown’s challenges relate to the complexity of housing, transport and the need to decarbonise. He says they need to keep working with the energy system to make sure there is enough power availability coming into the area over the next 10 years to enable electrification and attract businesses with a low carbon footprint.

“We dream big about decarbonising aviation so that our progressive business leaders want to be based here, and we need to ensure we have the best possible comms and connectivity available.

Demand for housing far outstrips supply and the usual interventions rarely work, but we need to keep running at that problem with our central government colleagues, so our future families and workforce can afford to be here.

“We want tech to find a great home here and feel welcome, but we don’t want to end up with the hyper-inflated housing market of Silicon Valley. We need to watch and learn from the mistakes of others and navigate the best path forward for our communities. Our partnership with Kāi Tahu will be instrumental in helping us keep a strong focus on wellbeing and intergenerational equity throughout.” 

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