A council-facilitated steering group has been proposed to look at how this district can recover after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Queenstown Lakes district must brace itself for the roughest economic situation it has ever seen, mayor Jim Boult said in a statement last week (Tuesday April 7).

“...we need to start planning for the future,” the mayor said. “The reality of the situation is that no other district in Aotearoa New Zealand will be affected economically to the same extent our district will.”

While tourism is part of other district’s economies, for Queenstown Lakes District, tourism “largely is our economy”, he said.

A steering group would include “big thinkers, innovators, experts in their field” to address community and economic recovery.

“They will need to come from a range [of] backgrounds and interests to shape the terms of reference, and the make-up of both recovery taskforces. Experience in times of crisis means that we don’t actually know what the answers are so there is no blueprint; the work of the taskforces will be to explore and provide innovative ideas for the future for the whole community.”

Jim Boult hopes people will volunteer to take part in the steering group. PHOTO: Supplied

The process should involve representatives from the social, economic, environmental and cultural communities, he said.

The mayor said he hoped people would volunteer their time in groups along the lines of recent mayoral taskforces.

A council team focused on recovery is considering options for how such a group could be convened, but council’s role would be as a facilitator, the statement said.

“This district needs to come together and talk about what we want to be in the coming years. If ever there was an opportunity or clearer signal to focus on the work that we have been doing to diversify our economy beyond its reliance on the visitor sector, then this is it,” Jim said.

He said he would provide further updates in the coming weeks as progress is made on bringing the group together.