Wanaka’s ‘Kai Pai’ pies have come out on top at the annual NZ Bakels Supreme Pie Awards.In order to find the country’s best pies, experienced baking industry experts ‘blind judged’ more than 5,000 pies from across New Zealand.Kai Pai earned placings in six of the 11 categories, including a gold award for its chicken, leek and bacon pie; a silver for its steak and gravy pie; and a bronze for its gourmet chicken, leek, mushroom and bacon pie.This year’s awards produced the best-ever result for Kai Pai, which also won the most awards out of any other bakery in the South Island. Under the guidance of owner Ian Warner and baking expertise of Jason Danielson, Kai Pai produces 25,000 pies a day from its purpose-built Wanaka premises, distributed nationwide.Kai Pai’s chicken, leek and bacon pie, which received a gold award at the NZ Bakels Supreme Pie Awards.Ian said the recognition is a huge honour for the business, which has been in operation since 2010 and employs 27 people. “As a commercial pie manufacturer that competes with smaller boutique bakeries, getting this recognition is pretty special for us – especially given the calibre of our fellow entrants and the expert status of the judging panel,” he said.“Our team works hard all year round and these awards are testament to their dedication and passion for the pie-making industry.”The NZ Bakels Supreme Pie Awards awards ceremony took place on Tuesday (July 27).PHOTO: Supplied

Ignite Wanaka Chamber of Commerce has appointed its executive officer Naomi Lindsay to the new role of general manager as part of changes to the organisation’s structure.The chamber’s board has approved an increase in resourcing and support to deliver on its events-led strategy and to expand its support for the Upper Clutha business community, and with that comes the newly-created GM role."There are lots of challenges ahead and now is the time to invest in our local chamber and work together to support our economy and look at opportunities for diversification,” Naomi said.See also: New events-led strategy initiated by Ignite Wanaka“I look forward to continuing the initiatives I've implemented in the past few years and adding more opportunities to grow and connect our business community, continuing to partner with others on the same journey.”Naomi has been Ignite Wanaka’s executive officer since 2015.In that time she has helped grow the membership from 120 to 370 members, helped the board launch and deliver the successful Ignite Wanaka Business Awards (now in its fourth year), resurrected and expanded the Wanaka Women in Business series and introduced other key events to the local business calendar. To support Naomi in her new role, the board will take on portfolios as part of their volunteer board time, each working with key stakeholders on the strategic priorities and advocacy opportunities, as well as to provide a greater voice for members. Board chair Andrew ‘Howie’ Howard said the chamber was excited to appoint Naomi to the role of general manager. “She is a well-known personality in our district and has proven herself as a strong advocate for our business community. Her knowledge and networking skills ideally place her to deliver on our ambitious programme.“As a board we are investing in our capability to deliver a strong, connected, diversified local economy that celebrates success and maintains a sense of community – and this is an important step in that process. I am looking forward to working with Naomi in this role as we continue to serve our members.” PHOTO: Supplied

A group of locals hope their work over the past year will help this district respond well to future challenges.The Regenerative Recovery Advisory Group (RRAG) was formed in the aftermath of the Covid-19 lockdown when Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) brought together people from across the district to look at the challenges it faces.Led by chair and Wanaka resident Simon Telfer, RRAG has shared its findings in a report, which include five principles to guide a ‘regenerative’ recovery and seven recommended action areas, from investment in holistic community wellbeing to investing via public/private partnerships.Simon told the Wanaka App the report is targeted at community leaders, other groups in the community, and “the curious”, with two things in mind: “bringing some fresh thinking or validating what they’re already doing”.The group met twice a month for more than a year, and discussions with community leaders, diversification experts and government ministers, combined with their own research, shaped their insights, Simon said.RRAG chair Simon Telfer said he hoped the report provided fresh ideas for a regenerative future. PHOTO: Supplied“I feel the report is a significant piece in the jigsaw as we navigate our way forward,” he said, adding that the district faces many challenges, such as the prospect of the Alpine Fault rupturing, and the numerous challenges posed by climate change.“We’ve tried to encourage the council to empower and enable others,” he said.The group recommends prioritising the district’s relationship with the environment, by strengthening and prioritising the council’s Climate Action Plan (CAP); developing a funding strategy to help protect and enhance the environment; and developing ‘green economy clusters’ for environmental diversification.Another recommendation is to reimagine economic development, looking at it through a community well-being lens.Simon said there has been “a bit of disconnect” between economic development and community wellbeing. “If we’re going to do economic development, we can’t do that separated out from the social licence those sectors have,” Simon said. “We can’t have people left behind.”RRAG recommends the council set up an independent review of the district’s current economic development structure/model; measure it against current best practice nationally and internationally; and establish an independent wellbeing development agency that also looks at economic development.Other recommendations included greater investment in infrastructure, building ‘clusters’ and supporting collaboration; investment in community wellbeing; and more.The full list of principles and recommendations can be viewed in the report here.Mayor Jim Boult said the council will consider the group’s insights in its decision making.“Hearing from this independent body on such an important range of subjects has been incredibly valuable to the councillors and the broader QLDC team,” he said.In addition to the chair, RRAG members included Kathy Dedo, Neil Jacobstein, Monique Kelly, Raymond Key, Julian Knights, Erica Seville, Roger Sharp, Michael Sly, Annis Somerville and Leslie Van Gelder.

Defying the challenges of Covid-19, a handful of new commercial businesses are opening in and around Wanaka in a variety of industries. Among the many new businesses opened in the last six months or so, the Wanaka App caught up with the owners of three upcoming commercial operations.The former Soul Food space, which closed in March after more than 20 years of operation, has undergone a major renovation and will soon reopen as Arc. Co-owner James Stapley, who is also the executive chef and owner of Kika, said Arc is envisioned as “a modern brunch place during the day and a small plate tapas style bar at night”.  Behind closed doors, the former Soul Food market is being converted into a restaurant serving modern brunches by day and small-plate tapas by night. PHOTO: Wanaka AppHe owns Arc with Kika head chef Sam Cooper and they plan to open on July 20 after a three-month refurbishment.Arc will have “a big focus on local and sustainable produce using a network of small artisan suppliers like we use at Kika,” James told the Wanaka App. Another restauranter making moves is Roger Gordon, who will take over the Albert Town tavern and the fish and chip shop next door to it. The Albert Town tavern has also been purchased by a new owner and it’s undergoing a renovation. PHOTO: Wanaka AppRoger also owns Speights Ale House in Wanaka and he has taken on the new project in Albert Town fairly undeterred by the challenges of Covid-19.“I guess we’ve just got to be positive and go forward and we know eventually we’ll get back to some form of normality,” Roger said. “There’s no point sitting back.”Roger remained tight lipped about the specifics for the future of the space, which is currently being refurbished, but said his plans would be shared in the near future: “We’re trying to get open as soon as possible”.The hospitality offerings join a spate of recent openings, from Scroggin in the former Beanie cafe to the new food truck village on Brownston Street, but there are also changes afoot in the commercial space, and Devold is one of the town’s newest retail stores, due to open on July 19. Sarah-Jane Perriam is converting the vacant Originz souvenir store into the first New Zealand branch of Devold, a Norweign brand which sells high-end wool products made sustainably. Sarah-Jane will accompany Devold’s products with goods by some of her favourite sustainable New Zealand designers including Ronja Schipper (famous for her Jacinda Double Feather earrings), Hills Hats from Wellington, pieces by local Wanaka artist Melissa Sharplin and Svord Knives from Waiuku.Instead of being a negative, Covid-19 is actually one of the reasons Sarah-Jane is giving the former Originz souvenir store a new life. “A lack of international tourism is actually what spurred us in a new direction,” Sarah-Jane told the Wanaka App. These new businesses will join the many that have defied the odds and opened in Wanaka in the last year, including new stores in Three Parks and even more under construction there.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) has launched a new scheme to attract entrepreneurs and business leaders who can end the district’s tourism dependency.The Home for Healthier Business campaign, a six-month pilot programme at this stage, promotes Queenstown, Wanaka and the surrounding communities as a place to live and work.The hope is that high-flying businesspeople will move here for the lifestyle, and then build a team of locals around themselves to do business.The group’s website tells the stories of people who've done just that, including Xero founder Rod Drury, global fintech leader Jason Wilby, accounting firm director Hayley Hobson, Mana Tahuna founder Michael Rewi, and food tech entrepreneur Alex Worker.The website is already live and acts as a portal for business people considering relocation.It features information and resources on moving to the district, everything from professional networks to details on local schools. Tabs include 'Build a Life', 'Build a Business' and 'Knowledge Base'."We envision these people establishing new businesses or transferring existing enterprises to the region," QLDC economic development manager Peter Harris said."It is not a 'mass attraction' campaign; it’s about recruiting a small number of individuals, many of whom already have a connection to the region, and providing them with the resources, tools and networks they need to embed in the community."We hope to support them to grow their business here, and ideally open up new employment opportunities and career pathways for locals.”The work of QLDC's economic development unit (EDU) was brought into sharp focus when Covid-19 decimated the tourism economy.Some 60 per cent of workers in the district work in tourism jobs, and 40 per cent of businesses rely on the international visitor tourism spend.EDU received $75,000 from Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) for the pilot.It is supported by Destination Queenstown, Lake Wānaka Tourism and Startup Queenstown Lakes, and will collaborate with Research & Innovation Queenstown, which is building a $45 million tech hub in Remarkables Park."Queenstown Lakes district has a global reputation as a spectacular place to visit and holiday, but we want to challenge the perception of our district as a place simply to come on holiday,” Peter said."We have an exciting and progressive community of talent and innovation here which we want to build on. The Home for Healthier Business is a campaign to showcase Queenstown, Wanaka and surrounding communities as thriving places to live and do business while forging a regenerative economy."The push will be for low-carbon, non-extractive industries, such as hospo tech, and regenerative initiatives, but everyone is welcome.Peter said economic diversification in the region will take time, but he is positive about the future.Food tech leader Alex Worker was at this morning's launch, ironically held at Queenstown Resort College, which trains people for careers in tourism and hospitality.Alex spent six months in Panama in lockdown before returning to NZ for personal reasons.He owned an investment property in Jack's Point and emailed the council about business opportunities. Both Peter and mayor Jim Boult responded personally."We realised this is one of the best centres for any returning expat Kiwi looking to have the balance of both business and lifestyle," Alex said."You're seven minutes from an international airport, within two minutes of that airport I can drop my kids off at the local school, and I found a really comfortable, warm and inviting co-working space at Mountain Club."He highlighted the infrastructure and resources, with highlights such as being able to get a 4G signal while skiing up the mountain, and the pool of untapped talent, people who are living here for the lifestyle, often working in bars rather than their chosen profession."I think this region is primed for success over the next decade. I think it takes info-tech, cleantech, film tech or food tech to help enable that prosperity... but I don't think it needs to be growth at scale."PHOTO: Supplied

A Lake Hāwea-based building company has taken out an award at the Te Kupeka Umaka Māori ki Araiteuru (KUMA) Māori Business Awards. Niche Design & Construction, owned by Kawhata and Amy Williams, received the Employment and Growth Award at last Friday’s (July 2) prize giving event. The KUMA awards honour resilience, collaboration and business success for Māori businesses in Otago, Southland and the Queenstown Lakes District, and Kawhata and Amy said they were honoured to be winners.Accepting the award, Kawhata, who is of Nga Puhi decent, spoke about how he models whanaungatanga (kinship) and manaakitanga (hospitality) in all that he does.“We place great value on all of our team members; letting our team be involved in decision making, asking them to share their whakaaro (thoughts) and solutions to everyday challenges on the building site,” he said.“We also aim to foster a sense of whanaungatanga - where every employee sees themselves as a valuable part of the team. The employment and growth category focused on the growth of a company: how the challenges of growth were embraced and overcome, and how the business modelled Te Ao Māori in its business relationships. “Amy and I focus on creating a culture of ‘we and not me’ - as collaboration is paramount in the making of a successful team,” Kawhata said. The company has been building Wanaka homes for five years.It was one of eight winners and the only local business to scoop up an award at Friday’s prizegiving, which coincided with Matariki (the Māori New Year).The awards evening took place in Invercargill with around 110 people from Otago, Southland and Queenstown Lakes attending.“The awards evening acknowledges continuous whānau, hapū and iwi contribution to the local economy,” KUMA board chair Claire Porima said. “KUMA was founded to strengthen the connections between Māori enterprises and entrepreneurs, so it is significant to celebrate this during Matariki.”PHOTO: Supplied

Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT) has unveiled new branding that reflects Wanaka “as a people and a place”.The new branding, the third in 11 years, features rusty and earthy tones and uses a stylised ridge of the Skyline Track to Roy’s Peak and on to Coromandel Peak.“The brand is a deep dive, not just a logo,” LWT marketing and communications manager Gizelle Regan said.LWT was recently funded $700,000 by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to tackle destination management, industry capability and destination marketing. Gizelle said a breakdown of the branding costs were “not yet able to be made available”. Lake Wānaka Tourism general manager Tim Barke told participants at a LWT open day yesterday (Wednesday June 30) that the government closure of the borders in response to Covid-19 affected Wanaka’s visitor economy, “but has given us time to reflect on how we do things”.Multiple lines in multiple directions indicate people’s historic and modern journeys.“Our branding isn’t just a colour and a logo that looks nice, but it defines who we are as a people and a place,” he said.Tim said while the logo will mean different things to different people, his own interpretation was that “the multiple lines in multiple directions indicate the historic and modern journeys of people from multiple backgrounds converging and moving together in a similar direction.” “The notches indicate direction of time, direction of natural resources such as ice flows and rivers and how they connect with the lakes and the direction the people travel to follow the pathways that people have gone through to get here now.”He said the new branding has a critical role to play in the invitation Wanaka wants to extend to its visitors, the experience it creates as a host community and how it preserves and nurtures its taonga. The previous logo, developed in 2016, cost $15,000.Brand strategist and facilitator Kate Smith, who attended the talk via video link, said the primary role of the brand was about “shifting from being about ‘attracting visitors’ to being about ‘how does a brand represent the true essence of Wanaka in a way that reflects community values and aspirations’.” “The aspiration was to shift from being a sustainable tourism sector to a regenerative visitor economy,” she said. LWT has joined Destination Queenstown and Queenstown Lakes District Council to develop a roadmap for tourism which enables viable and regenerative tourism by 2030.Read more: New model of tourism under development Tim said community feedback had been crucial to the creation of the new brand. “We’ve gone out to the community and to industry leaders, different industry groups and community groups and said ‘what is it that you want the future of Wanaka to look like?’” The 2010 logo, branding Wanaka the world’s “first protected lifestyle reserve”. An open day attendee raised concerns about brand confusion, noting the logo’s similarity to that of Christchurch’s metro bus logo. Graphic designer and Studio Acht owner Britt Davies (Te Arawa, Te Ati Awa, Ngā Puhi), who designed the branding, said “nothing is original” from a high-level branding perspective, but the brand must be “authentic and genuine to the story you're trying to tell”.A preview of LWT’s new website was also unveiled at the open day, along with the organisation’s annual plan. Lake Wānaka Tourism last unveiled a new logo and brand in 2016, which followed a review process that took six months and cost $15,000. The logo was ‘Wanaka NZ’, with the word ‘Wanaka’ followed by an orange subscript circle with ‘NZ’ at its centre. That logo replaced the “world’s first protected lifestyle reserve” catchphrase, which was rolled out as part of a 2010 LWT rebrand. The ‘lifestyle reserve’ logo, which cost less than $20,000, attracted some criticism for its suggestion of exclusivity and its perceived connection to the retirement industry. PHOTOS: Lake Wānaka Tourism

Local stakeholders have formed a partnership to design a ‘regenerative tourism future’ for Queenstown Lakes. Regional tourism organisations (RTOs) Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT) and Destination Queenstown have teamed up with Queenstown Lakes District Council to develop a roadmap for tourism which enables viable and regenerative tourism by 2030.The six-month long project will explore how the visitor economy can add value to the district and its community and also deliver financial benefits and a thriving economy.“The visitor economy is critical to our region, so what we do matters, both as participants in the visitor economy and as residents and businesses who are part of the community,” LWT general manager Tim Barke said. “Under the old model, ‘value’ is measured through visitor numbers and expenditure. Now we are moving into a new era where we’re thinking about creating value more broadly. We also have macro factors to consider such as climate change, water and air quality, carbon costs, plastic, the economy, and changing community and visitor values.”LWT and the other stakeholder groups will work with sustainability and destination management planning experts Promixa and Destination Think!, and an independent industry leaders advisory group has also been established to oversee the model development, from planning to implementation. They will seek a broad range of perspectives, via more than 40 one-on-one stakeholder interviews; eight ‘design forums’ across Wanaka, Arrowtown, Glenorchy and Queenstown for focused group discussions; up to 10 interactive events for the community; and an online survey to help identify current issues and new pathways towards a regenerative tourism future.The community events will begin next month, with the Wanaka event held at Rippon Vineyard on July 5 from 5-7pm.“By harnessing the collective knowledge, expertise, experience and values of both our industry and our community, we have an opportunity to design our own path to a regenerative tourism future,” Tim said.The regenerative tourism approach aims to shape the destination to benefit the local community and iwi, drive environmental custodianship, support quality visitor experiences, target markets that align with the district’s shared community values, and encourage investment and partnerships.For more information about the project and details about opportunities to get involved in the process, visit Destination Queenstown’s website here and Lake Wānaka Tourism’s website here. 

Cardrona-Treble Cone general manager Bridget Legnavsky has been promoted in a recent realignment of parent organisation Wayfare Group.Bridget is promoted to the new position of chief experience officer with responsibility for all Wayfare Group experiences, Wayfare chief executive officer Stephen England-Hall said.“Bridget is a visionary leader, with an incredible talent for building team culture to deliver an outstanding guest experience and we want to continue to ensure this is developed further across the group,” he said.  She will lead, coach and mentor a team of general managers responsible for Wayfare’s tourism and ski experiences across their brands Real Journeys, Go Orange, the International Antarctic Centre and Cardrona Alpine Resort.Wanaka-based Bridget will still have overall responsibility for "the Cardrona/Treble Cone Experience”, but there will be a new ski experience general manager (yet to be announced) reporting to her.Bridget LegnavskyBridget’s new role was one of several announced today (Tuesday June 22) designed to bring the diverse capabilities from across the Wayfare Group to work together to build a more sustainable business, Stephen said. Wayfare’s operations stretch from Christchurch to Stewart Island and include International Antarctic Centre, Walter Peak TSS Earnslaw in Queenstown, Milford and Doubtful Sounds day and overnight trips, Go Orange rafting and Cardrona/Treble Cone skifields.In the wake of Covid-19’s impact on tourism, the realignment of the Wayfare Group has meant refocusing its purpose and accelerating the move towards sustainable tourism by delivering the most memorable experiences, Bridget said.“It’s a very bold purpose towards change,” she said, and she will be relying on “people capable of being visionaries” to achieve it.“I feel incredibly privileged to be asked to lead this step-change [in purpose], designing what’s sustainable but also the parts that can be regenerative...and working with others to bring it to life,” she said. Wayfare’s changes have opened up a number of new leadership opportunities within the company and have not resulted in any job losses, Stephen said.Real Journeys general manager Paul Norris, who was presented with the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to tourism and conservation last month, has been promoted to chief conservation officer to lead conservation and sustainability initiatives across the group. PHOTOS: Supplied

An innovative local has put an idea into action and launched a small business selling modular drying racks. The drying racks (which were popular in colonial era New Zealand) attach to the ceiling and are lowered as needed, offering an attractive and efficient alternative to floor-standing drying racks and machine powered dryers. Pip Ives said the idea came from her great grandfather, whose self-made drying rack is still in use at the family homestead 100 years after it was made.He lived in the cold, wet Catlins, and built the still-used rack in one day between milking cows, Pip said.Pip launched the business last year and she has big goals for it: “I want one in every house in New Zealand,” she said.Pip Ives, pictured with her family.Her ‘High & Dry’ model has already been purchased by a variety of buyers including tiny house owners, for display use in a commercial space, and by the owner of an off-grid home.Pip said she had wanted to reinterpret her great grandfather’s creation for a long time but could never find the time. Then Covid-19 came along.“I had this vision, with Covid, this feeling that we need to get back to the land and the roots and what we used to do,” she said. With the help of a handful of people, including her neighbour, Pip put a modern spin on the original design, creating a modular rack made using American oak veneer on birch plywood.“I really wanted them to be wood, beautiful and seamless,” Pip said, “like a beautiful piece of furniture for your home.”Practicality was essential too: “They’ve been designed by the engineers to be strong enough to hold plenty of clothes including ski gear and tramping clothes.”And because they are modular, you can combine two or three into one long rack depending on the size of your household, Pip said, and they have also been designed so they can be packed up and re-used in a new home.Making room for something new in her busy life has been a challenge, Pip said, but she was determined to make the experience a positive one - for herself, for buyers and for the environment.Learn more here.PHOTOS: Supplied

Lake Wānaka Tourism’s (LWT) refreshed brand will be one of the issues featured at the organisation’s open day for businesses and the community at the end of this month.The open day is being held to help locals gain a better understanding of LWT’s role and to learn more about the new brand identity, general manager Tim Barke said.LWT has been undertaking extensive consultation to gain a deeper understanding of the community’s values and vision for the future, he said.“A key theme of the consultation sessions was the need to review and revise LWT’s role to ensure that we have a clearly articulated focus that will drive our brand and strategy going forward,” he said. LWT marketing and communications manager Gizelle Regan told the Wanaka App, while the open day will include examples of the new branding, “a brand is so much more than just a logo or symbol”.She said LWT staff will be talking as much about the process and the shared values that came out “loud and clear” throughout the consultation process. LWT general manager Tim Barke invited anyone interested in Wanaka’s future to come along. PHOTO: Supplied    The consultation process was led by strategist and facilitator Kate Smith, with the brand identity work being undertaken by design specialist Britt Davies from Studio Acht - both of whom will be available at the open day to talk through the process.Funding from MBIE enabled LWT to develop a Wanaka brand framework document, which will form the basis of a website redevelopment and approach to all new content and assets, Gizelle said. The website redevelopment will be completed in late September.The open day will take place on Wednesday June 30 at the Wanaka Community Hub.There will be two sessions, the first running from 9:15am to 11:15am and the second 1.15-3.15pm.At both sessions Kate and Britt will discuss Wanaka’s brand evolution and Tim and LWT board chair Mat Woods will talk about the organisation’s destination management plan and regenerative tourism.“The plan is for a relaxed drop-in session, with some scheduled presentations, and open forums throughout the day,” Tim said. “We encourage anyone interested in the future of Wanaka to come along - you are most welcome to come for an hour or stay for the day.”To RSVP for the morning session click here, or for the afternoon session click here.Alternatively, email [email protected] Wānaka Tourism is a regional tourism organisation formed in 1993. It is a membership-based incorporated society with more than 450 member businesses.

The 2021 Wanaka A&P Show brought $28.6M worth of direct economic benefits to the area, an independent study has found.The report, prepared by Research First, looked at the total expenditure by visitors, trade exhibitors, volunteers, spectators and competitors over the two-day event in March.The amount of total direct spending was up $17.7M on the previous independent economic impact report, undertaken in 2015 (which found that the show contributed $10.9M worth of direct economic benefits). No economic multipliers have been applied.Of the $28.6M, Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago District visitors contributed an estimated $15.9M in incidental spend. Non-local show attendees contributed an estimated $9.4M in total event-motivated spending and $3.4M total incidental spend (not event-motivated)“The increase in total local dollars is an indicator of the importance of community events in our area,” Wanaka-based report author and Research First insight specialist Liz Morley said. Jack Russells line up for the annual race.“The $9.4M figure is the amount of new money brought into the Wanaka economy as a direct result of staging this event. Attendees from outside the local Wanaka area contributed to a third of the expenditure impact.”The research also found the event was popular with locals and visitors alike, with 55 per cent of the 45,000 participants coming from the Queenstown Lakes District, and 45 per cent coming from other parts of New Zealand.“Of those who have travelled from outside the region, the vast majority were South Islanders (94 per cent), but a few came from as far north as Auckland. Covid-19 border closures have of course meant that all attendees were currently living in NZ,” the report said.Those from outside the region generally stayed in Wanaka, and most stayed for more than one night. Of those staying in Wanaka, 50 per cent stayed in commercial accommodation (including hotel, motel, Airbnb, or rented holiday homes). Of those out-of-town visitors who stayed overnight, the average stay was 3.5 nights“The show continues to grow in popularity every year, especially within our district and wider region, and this latest report demonstrates this,” Wanaka Show event manager Jane Stalker said. “It’s heartening to see that this important community event has helped bring a substantial amount of money into Wanaka after a difficult period for our local economy, due to Covid-19.”The show is owned by the not-for-profit Upper Clutha A&P Society. Each year the society grants approximately $65,000 in cash and in-kind donations to community groups and organisations through the show’s ‘Cheers Wanaka’ give-back programme.This year’s Wanaka A&P Show, held on March 13-14, attracted 45,000 people. This is the second independent economic impact report undertaken for the Wanaka A&P Show.PHOTOS: Wanaka App

According to figures from property management company Home & Co, the number of rental properties available for winter workers in Wanaka are down by one third compared to previous years. “We’ve had a lot of calls and emails from people that are desperate to find rental homes,” Home & Co director Colleen Topping said.“Two years ago, we would have had a third more stock, everything got rented a month ago. We’ve got nothing.” The temporary laws introduced during Covid-19 preventing property owners from terminating tenancies during lockdown has scared property owners away from offering up their homes, she suggested. “People aren’t making those houses available for rent because they can’t demand their houses back,” Colleen said. Carmen Blackler is the founder of The Workforce Accommodation Network (The WAN), a new service created in December to help address the issue of seasonal rental shortages.Carmen wants to encourage the community to help out by welcoming workers into their homes if they can, so they have somewhere safe and affordable to live. “We have over 40 people in the system to find accommodation for,” Carmen said. “Historically, when there’s a shortage, the workers will sleep in their cars or bunk on friends’ floors. When there are no properties it’s a bit difficult to see what the options are,” she said.Cardrona-Treble Cone, one of Wanaka’s largest employers, has been working hand-in-hand with The WAN. Cardrona-Treble Cone head of people and performance Laura Hedley said staff are struggling more than usual to find accommodation this winter.“We are definitely seeing it harder to find staff somewhere to live for winter - it’s harder this year than it has been in the past,” she said.Carmen said if property owners understand the difference between housing a worker as a flatmate as opposed to a tenant, it may encourage them to make rooms available to seasonal workers.If someone else signs the tenancy agreement but lets you share the flat, you are a flatmate; flatmates live in the property but are not part of the tenancy agreement. If you are a seasonal worker looking for housing this winter, you can create your profile on the The WAN here.  PHOTO: Supplied

Technology companies that create solutions for tourism and hospitality industries are about to get a boost in Queenstown Lakes. Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) economic development unit is advertising a tender to develop a hospitality/tourism technology ‘cluster’ in the district. Cluster development involves similar businesses working together to identify opportunities to collaborate. QLDC economic development manager Peter Harris said a hospitality/tourism tech cluster would support technology businesses, help diversify the economy, and potentially boost the productivity of the tourism and hospitality industry.The tender involves working with existing businesses to find common problems or opportunities and then explore how these could be tackled collaboratively. “This approach to economic development is about businesses joining forces rather than all individually trying to overcome the same issues,” Peter said. “It aims to turn businesses who might see themselves as competitors into collaborators. Over time, cluster development can help existing businesses grow.”Want to get out and about? See Places in your Wanaka AppA successful cluster can also help build an international reputation for a specific location and a specific product, such as super-cars in Italy.The tourism/hospitality tech niche was selected for support because it builds on successful businesses already in the district, and it taps into the expertise within the dominant industry in the area. “Businesses within the district have already shown interest in collaboration,” Peter said.“There are large tourism operators in the district who have indicated that they would be supportive of a stronger cluster of tech businesses focused on solving their challenges.”Chomp Food Safety App CEO Paul Wilson, who has been working alongside tech companies First Table and Loaded Reports, said he was keen to see a cluster approach taken in the district. “We’re keen to see what we can achieve collectively. We have already done some promotion together and having someone to help us find other common ground will open up other exciting opportunities,” he said.The tender is for a 12-month contract.PHOTO: Supplied

Experienced harbourmasters who have served on local lakes and rivers for 19 years will be replaced by a security firm, which is currently contracted to council to provide various enforcement services throughout the district. Last week the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) announced Cougar Security Group, which was contracted last summer to ensure the local $5 boat ramp fee was paid by boaties, would replace Southern Monitoring Services (SMS) to conduct harbourmasters’ duties, overseeing navigational safety and provide waterways regulatory services.QLDC regulatory manager Anthony Hall acknowledged that the change in contract delivery will mean farewell to some well-known individuals from our waterways.“For 19 years QLDC waterways regulatory services have been provided by Southern Monitoring Services. Many in our community will be familiar with the harbourmasters Marty Black and Dave Black in Queenstown-Wakatipu and Craig Blake in Wanaka.”He said the council acknowledged the great work they have done in providing this service and “for frequently going over and above what has been expected”.Coastguard Wanaka Lakes is expected “to work closely” with the new contractors taking over the harbourmasters’ duties. PHOTO: SuppliedAnthony said the aim of the service is to facilitate the safe use of local waterways for all recreational and commercial users by undertaking education, monitoring, issuing infringement notices where needed and responding to complaints received via the council’s ‘request for service’ system.He said Cougar has extensive capability and experience in enforcement of council regulations, including local parking, noise control, animal control and freedom camping regulations, and has “a proven track record in the skills and experience sought”. “Cougar will be working closely with the local Coastguard teams to ensure collectively they can respond to emergencies on the water, complementing council’s core role of ensuring the current bylaws and rules are adhered to,” Anthony said.Coastguard Wanaka Lakes president Jonathan Walmisley said CWL has not been approached about working with Cougar but said “under no circumstances will CWL take any form of regulatory enforcement”.“We are a search and rescue agency and an educational agency and we do not want to be put in a position to enforce bylaws. It muddies our role,” he said.Jonathan said the CWL had a very good relationship with SMS harbourmasters and staff, working together during emergencies.He was prepared to take a “wait and see” approach with Cougar, he said.“Cougar will continue to deliver on council’s desire to ensure navigational safety and support has high levels of visibility and presence on our waterways, especially over the popular and busy summer months,” Anthony said.The Wanaka App asked council why it chose to award the contract to a security firm rather than continue with SMS’s experienced harbourmaster team. A QLDC spokesperson said the council followed a full procurement process. All tenders received were assessed based on the criteria specified, including relevant experience, relevant skills, methodology and processes and fees, and Cougar’s tender was successful.  Cougar has also been awarded QLDC contracts for CCTV maintenance, alarm monitoring and response on council buildings, and regulatory services.The new waterways regulatory services contract will take effect from July 1.PHOTOS: Wanaka App

The tourism sector is exploring new ways to fund tourism infrastructure as alternatives to the bed tax being pursued by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) as a revenue stream.The introduction of a district-wide visitor levy, or ‘bed tax’, in the council’s Long-term Plan 2021-2031 is estimated to recover $162.8M over seven years (from 2024-2031) with the money used to fund the capital expenditure attributable to visitors, QLDC said.However, tourism minister Stuart Nash says he is investigating the idea of differential pricing for tourism attractions instead of levies or bed taxes.“I would like to see a level of differential pricing right across the tourism sector that recognises that a lot of these attractions and tourism experiences should be available and open to Kiwis but international tourists that travelled halfway around the world will be prepared to pay [for]...” he said.Differential pricing for Kiwis and overseas visitors for publicly owned places such as the conservation estate is on the government’s agenda. PHOTO: Wanaka App“It’s the right of every Kiwi to have free access to the DOC [Department of Conservation] estate and our national parks,” he added. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look at innovative ways to charge tourists.”Meanwhile, the Tourism Industry Association (TIA) has proposed the introduction of a regional tourism fund instead of a bed tax and asked QLDC for its support in a submission to the council’s Long-Term Plan.Read more: Council continues push for bed tax The TIA said a fund of $300M per annum could be distributed to local government to address local tourism-related needs, informed by regional spatial plans, local authority Long Term Plans, and Regional Tourism Organisation destination management plans.“If these plans are doing their job well, they should clearly articulate the aspirations of tourism in the region and funding required,” the TIA submission said.LWT general manager Tim Barke says differential funding and a regional fund are both good ideas. PHOTO: SuppliedThe allocation model could be determined by “the measured level of visitor impact” on each territorial authority, for example, guest nights in a region, the TIA suggested.Lake Wānaka Tourism general manager Tim Barke told the Wanaka App he agreed with both concepts: differential pricing and a regional fund.Tim said councils in popular tourism areas are faced with the challenge of providing infrastructure almost solely funded by a ratepayer base which simply can’t afford it.“Visitors contribute a huge amount to the national economy through spend and taxes so it makes sense for some of these taxes be put toward assisting the communities and provision of infrastructure in the most popular destinations,” Tim said.And Tim believes tourism funding like a regional fund could go further: Visitors could volunteer time or funding to help with local projects, which he said would invest them emotionally in the place.“What would make it even more effective is if the visitors were to know that a defined proportion of what they are paying is going directly toward initiatives that benefit the local community and place. Again, this makes the visitor feel connected with the place and proud that by being there and participating, they are making a positive contribution to benefit the place and the local people,” he said.Locals would also be more likely to welcome visitors if they could see the tangible benefits visitors bring, he said.Government funding to help get some of these projects underway “could have a multiplying effect” of the benefits they generate, Tim said.He also said differential pricing for Kiwis and overseas visitors for publicly owned places/experiences “makes sense”, and could have several positive effects, including that visitors better understand and accept the value Kiwis put on the tāonga (places, experiences, stories and things they treasure), and the concept that it is a privilege to have access to and share in these.Additionally, Kiwis appreciate that the value of their tāonga are being recognised and appreciated by visitors. The TIA said its regional fund proposal aligns with Infrastructure NZ’s proposal for a regional development fund, expanding the former $1B per annum Provincial Growth Fund into a $2B Regional Development Fund (RDF) for New Zealand. TIA said it would work with QLDC and other local authorities to seek the introduction of such a fund “as soon as possible”. 

Spectacular structures that blend into dramatic landscapes dominated at this year’s Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects’ (NZIA) Southern Awards, held in Wanaka last Friday (May 21). Across the region award winners included Catlins crib, a Central Otago lakeside home, and a sculptural steel and concrete property overlooking the Shotover River, but Wanaka did not come up short - local properties which took awards included a home echoing the shape of a barn, a creative multi-level commercial space and a small but immaculately considered house. In total, 24 awards were presented across 10 categories - including commercial, education, housing, heritage and interior architecture. The peer-reviewed awards celebrated the best architecture in the Otago and Southland regions and four jurors visited all of the shortlisted buildings across the provinces.“The overall quality of work was impressive and well presented, with clever responses to client’s briefs, challenging site conditions and intelligent use of various levels of budget,” jury convenor and Wanaka-based architect Rafe Maclean said.The Precinct on Helwick Street scooped up an award in the commercial category. PHOTO: Simon Larkin“It was wonderful to meet the clients and architects behind each project, each with their own story of how their building had come to be.” Wanaka’s ‘The Precinct’, designed by Arrowtown-based Assembly Architects, took an award in the commercial category for the retail space which the architects said brings “a high-end industrial edge to retailing in the downtown area.”The complex spans 1500 square metres on Helwick Street and just under a third is courtyard space, and it was inspired by the site’s origins as the former Wanaka Police Station as well as the “industrial aesthetic” of New York. Condon Scott’s Sugi House was another winner in the housing category. PHOTO: Simon DevittA compact local home designed by Wanaka’s Condon Scott Architects, ‘Sugi House’, was one of two local homes to earn an award in the housing category; the other was ‘Long Low Barn’ by Wellington’s Sharon Jansen.‘Sugi House’ was inspired by the owners’ experience visiting Japan, where they saw that a small, carefully designed house could be comfortable and pleasant to live in. The floorplan is tight but carefully considered, and the result is a refined, precise and crafted aesthetic. ‘Long Low Barn’ features two unassuming gable forms which are connected by a long passage, and the liberal use of Japanese timber is a reflection of the architect and client’s appreciation of the material. Mason and Wales, which has an office in Wanaka, also won three awards for projects across the southern region.See the full list of winners here.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) continues to plan for a local bed tax, despite opposition from accommodation providers and tourism minister Stuart Nash making it clear that bed tax is not on the government’s agenda.QLDC mayor Jim Boult has long promoted the introduction of a district-wide visitor levy or “bed tax” and the council’s draft Long-term Plan 2021-2031 makes the assumption that central government will approve it to be implemented from mid 2024.The draft LTP estimates the levy would recover $162.8M over the seven years (2024-2031) and the money would be used to fund the capital expenditure attributable to visitors. “If the visitor levy were not available, the capital programme from 2024 to 2031 would need to be reduced significantly or rates increased by a further 2.3 per cent per annum for the last seven years of the plan,” the LTP states.Opposition to the tax remains, however, with many saying it is unfair, ill considered and damaging to tourism.Stuart Nash. PHOTO: SuppliedWanaka local Peter Sutherland, who represents the Lake District Accommodation Sector, said in his oral submission to the council’s LTP hearings recently, the council has provided no economic analysis to support its view a bed tax will not negatively affect accommodation businesses.The council has not considered accommodation operators will need to rebuild their businesses when the borders eventually reopen to all overseas visitors, and the council’s belief the Lakes District’s economy will “return to business as usual in two years [is] an unlikely outcome”, Peter said. Loans which have kept the business afloat will need to be repaid; maintenance and capital expenditure deferred during the pandemic will be a priority; a tax on top of that is not welcome, he said.Speaking on behalf of Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), Matt Ammunson-Fyall said in his submission to the LTP that bed taxes by their nature are unfair and target only one sector of the tourism industry. The Queenstown accommodation sector received 13.3 per cent of the visitor spend (to the year ending October 2020) which as a percentage is consistent with pre-COVID data, yet accommodation operators are being asked to pay 100 per cent of the visitor levy.Matt said if the council expected to earn $162.8M over seven years from this tax that equates to adding an average $23.3M per annum to the costs of local accommodation.He added that collecting a bed tax was not without its challenges and would also affect council’s expectations of how much income the tax will earn. Auckland Council implemented its Accommodation Provider Targeted Rate (APTR) in 2017 but attempts to get the non-commercial accommodation sector to contribute to it have largely failed, with fewer than one third of these operators paying the rate.Rather than commit to a local bed tax, “we recommend council spends the next three years identifying suitable alternatives that do not target just one sector of a town where many others benefit from the visitor,” Matt said.Tourism minister Stuart Nash said he was “not looking at a bed tax” in answer to a question in Parliament on May 11.His press secretary Kathryn Street confirmed this to the Wanaka App. “After becoming Tourism Minister, the issue of an accommodation levy was raised in a general sense with Mr Nash during meetings with some council representatives. However Mr Nash has ruled out any suggestion the government will consider introducing legislation to enable this,” she said.Contrary to this advice, QLDC media and channels advisor Jack Barlow told the Wanaka App: “QLDC considers there to be central government support to advance a visitor levy at a local level, and will look to do so as outlined in the Ten Year Plan.” Local authorities have the option of asking their local Member of Parliament (in this case, Joseph Mooney) to introduce a piece of legislation on their behalf, if they wish to introduce such a levy, Kathryn said.Jack said the QLDC has not yet approached the local MP on the matter.

The Southern Lakes Events Investment Panel (SLEIP) is now seeking applications for the second round of its business events incentive scheme.Facilitated through the Southern Lakes Regional Events Fund, which was formed to stimulate domestic visitation between regions, the business events investment scheme exists to help bring more people to the region for business events. Associations, conference organisers, corporate companies and incentive organisers can apply for the funding scheme, via the Southern Lakes Event Fund website.Successful applicants will receive support of $150 per attendee to their event in Wanaka, Queenstown or Central Otago. SLEIP chair Murray Strong said successful applicants had recently been chosen from the first round of submissions. It was “encouraging to receive such a high calibre of conference and incentive propositions to the region,” he said. Eleven conferences and three incentive events will be held across the region as a result of the first round of the funding.Workout this winter with PROACTIVE24 Health and Fitness in your Wanaka App“We are expecting these conferences and events to host over 3,100 delegates - generating 7,295 bed nights and investing $5.9M in the region to execute the events,” Murray said.Applications for the second funding round are open until November 30 and events must be held within the region. “I am looking forward to reviewing the applications that come in for the second round and continuing to use the funding to support the local tourism and events sectors,” Murray said. Eight of the 19 events funded in the first round went to local events, including Ripe (Wanaka Food & Wine Festival), Wheels at Wanaka, Contact Epic, NZ Mountain Film & Book Festival, Winter Games, Snowboxx, Wanaka Wedding Fair and the WAO Summit.