(TAN): A huge majority of New Zealanders seem to believe international tourism is helpful for the country.
In a research conducted by Kantar TNS and commissioned by Tourism New Zealand and Tourism Industry Aotearoa, it was revealed 93% of New Zealanders agreed that international tourism is good for the country. Kantar TNS is an United Kingdom-based global market research and market information group.
The research, named ‘Mood of the Nation’, is done twice every year – in March and November, to measure how New Zealanders look at international tourism.
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Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen England-Hall said the survey was crucial as it helped the government take steps to improve the sector.
“Tourism is New Zealand’s number one export earner, it’s vital to communities across the country providing one in every seven jobs, so it’s fantastic that Kiwis see the benefits it delivers. This research is incredibly important to help us understand how Kiwis are feeling about tourism so the government and industry can take action to ensure that the sector gives back more than it takes to our country and people,” England-Hall said.
The study showed New Zealanders are not just welcoming of international tourists but are also proud that their country is an attractive travel destination – survey results showed 93% of them were proud of New Zealand’s value as an attractive visitor destination while 88% took pride in welcoming foreign visitors.
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However, they are concerned that tourism from international visitors can have negative impacts in certain areas – while 39% Kiwis said it can put pressure on infrastructure, 22% believed such tourism could affect the environment, and 13% were worried about traffic congestion and overcrowding of national parks.
Tourism New Zealand wrote on their website they are implementing various efforts and investment to contain the pressures. While the International Visitor Levy could garner over NZD 450 million (USD 297.73 million approximately) in over five years, the Tourism Infrastructure Fund contributes up to NZD 25 million annually.
The research results revealed that over half of Kiwis believed the predicted international visitor growth was ‘too much’.
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