What irks me most about Tourism Minister Stuart Nash’s comments about a new NZ tourism strategy this morning?
Is it:
- The complete disregard he has for the millions of New Zealanders who would love to take a New Zealand holiday but can’t because they are crippled by high housing costs
- His desire to increase carbon emissions by having tourists fly business class and take helicopter trips to view our receding glaciers
- The “unashamable” timing and arrogance of his comments when Europe, North America and other places in the world are suffering with COVID-19
- Or his skirting on the fringe of racism implied in the strategy of targeting “high net worth” individuals rather than those who “sh*t in our waterways”.
I thought the age of the arrogant government minister completely disconnected from everyday reality had passed with Margaret Thatcher’s government.
New Zealand’s tourism sector absolutely needs looking at, not least in terms of the high carbon costs associated with every tourist who comes here. But let’s have a proper conversation about it.
Banner photo: Nick Page, https://www.flickr.com/photos/27506472@N04/9014411653