But do we really want to banish backpackers and position New Zealand as expensive and exclusive - the Switzerland of the South Pacific? Does New Zealand really want only the uber-rich to experience our natural wonders, when flying business class, travelling by cruise ship and hiring helicopters are the most environmentally damaging ways to do so? If we were to consider the wider social, economic and environmental impacts of discrete tourism markets, we would be banishing the cruise industry first, not backpackers. The importance of diverse tourismBackpackers and freedom campers support small regional tourism businesses, attractions and local services that would not survive without them. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash's blunt message to #tourism sector: target rich tourists - NZ Herald#TourismSummit20 https://t.co/9KdyQYscWk — Stuart Nash (@Stuart_NashMP) November 17, 20204.

Source: New Zealand Herald November 23, 2020 22:14 UTC