Central Otago farmers are being reminded their application for Intensive Winter Grazing (IWG) consents must be in by May 1.The Otago Regional Council (ORC) will be actively monitoring the IWG season with some site visits and will be responding to complaints and other information received. The regulatory authority will focus on some areas for greater attention, including sites where farmers haven’t yet obtained consent.Principal compliance specialist Mike Cummings said the ORC had completed its first farm flyovers for the IWG season.“The first round of flyovers looking at any instream disturbances, forestry and IWG areas, has been completed, and staff are currently processing the photographic observations,” he said.ORC staff are looking for things like forestry, machinery working in or around streams, rivers, wetlands and intensive grazing.Mike said last year’s flyovers found “a massive positive change” in IWG practices compared to previous years.“It was great to see the on-farm changes last year,” he said.Acting consents manager Alexandra King said the ORC wants to ensure “farmers have the information and advice they need to manage their farm with minimal risk to the environment”.“Applications have been open for more than six months, but it’s down to a couple of weeks left now,” she said.The new regulations around IWG started on November 1, 2022. Applications for winter 2023 and beyond should be in by mid-April 2023 to ensure consents are in place by May 1, 2023.“In most instances, we’re encouraging farmers to apply for consent for the next three to five years,” Alexandra said.“Farmers will then need to update their management plan annually, telling ORC where they have grazed in the previous year and where they plan to graze during the next season.“Farmers need to apply for the paddocks they’re likely to graze over the next few years; actual paddock selection and the day-to-day farm operation is still in the farmer’s hands.”Complaints or information about IWG practices or other activities can be made to ORC’s Pollution Hotline, 0800 800 033.

One third of Edgewater’s guest rooms will be upgraded in a refurbishment project which began last week.The current project is phase one in a three-part, $20M upgrade project which will take place over the next two to three years, Edgewater general manager Colin McClean said.By the end of 2025 all guest rooms and guest areas will be upgraded.“The key aim of the refurbishment programme is to modernise the hotel to ensure it retains its firm position in the market as a 4.5 star hotel and to complement Edgewater’s spectacular lake-front setting,” Colin said.Phase one for the guest rooms should be completed by October.It includes the introduction of air-conditioning units, double glazing of the windows, bathroom revamps (including removal of baths and tiling of new shower area, and installation of energy-efficient LED lighting) and new joinery, furniture and interior. The kitchenettes - a feature in the one-bedroom apartments - will be re-styled and improved with new full-sized refrigerators, new cooktops, range hoods and cabinetry.  “The construction area is in one part of the hotel, which will be fenced off,” Colin said. “We will continue to operate the hotel as usual, and no guest amenities will be affected.” The refurbished rooms will be available for guest stays during the traditional high season of the summer of 2023-2024.  The other two phases of the project will take place in 2024 and 2025.PHOTO: Wānaka App

A working group set up prior to Covid-19 has been resurrected in an attempt to ease issues facing employers and workers in the district.Mahi Queenstown Lakes (MahiQL) is a collaboration between Lake Wānaka Tourism, Ignite Wānaka, Destination Queenstown Lakes, the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce, and MBIE, with a focus on attracting and retaining talented workers within the district. “Our vision is a thriving business community in Queenstown Lakes driven by talented people from all over New Zealand and the world who love living and working here,” Queenstown Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sharon Fifield said.“It speaks to the employee experience. We want them to have a good experience and if they leave they leave as advocates.”Sharon said workforce shortages continue to feature in feedback from the business community and MahiQL is looking at what can be done to help alleviate some of these shortages and at what employers can do.“Many employers are paying well above living wage, so it is a matter of what else they can do to attract talent and retain them,” she said.In the quarterly Queenstown Lakes labour market snapshot (December 2022) commissioned by the Queenstown Lakes District Council, economist Benje Patterson said wage growth across the district is running at nine percent compared to 6.4 percent nationally.“Unfortunately, there are limits to the influence wages can play in attracting workers,” Benje said. “Other factors, such as an acute rental housing shortage, have also impeded workers’ ability to accept jobs in the local area.”Sharon said the data Benje is producing is invaluable and many employers are stepping up and looking at how they provide accommodation saying that some employers are taking on head leases where they have the ability to sublease the property.Related: Worker accommodation advice for businesses“It is important to recognise that housing has a big impact on attracting and retaining workers, however the workforce strategy can’t fix the housing problem,” Sharon said. “They are very much related but housing is a bigger beast in itself.”This week MahiQL is running employer focus groups in Wānaka and Queenstown to hear from the business community for input into the workforce strategy. They also plan to run employee and support organisation focus groups.Sharon said anyone wanting to get involved to share ideas can get in touch with [email protected] is aiming to have the strategy finalised and ready to share in June.PHOTO: Supplied

A $4.5M underwriting agreement with the government will help the Silverlight Studios break ground on its $280M Wānaka film park.The funding for the ambitious film park was announced by regional development minister Kiritapu Allan at an event in Central Otago on Friday March 24.“The screen industry employs approximately 16,200 New Zealanders and contributes $3.3 billion to the economy every year, making it a key component of Central Otago’s economic diversification initiatives,” she said.“Silverlight Studios will provide new opportunities for local talent to be at the forefront of an evolving industry in the region.”The funding will support Silverlight Studios with operational costs once ‘phase zero’ of their project - an initial project of three sound stages - has been completed.Silverlight Studio was granted resource consent to construct the film park - complete with studios, production offices, a film school, a screening theatre, and an exhibition centre - in December 2021.The project has received broad support from the region’s former mayor, the regional film organisation and other public officials, but met a more wary reception from some locals.Residents living near the site have expressed concern over the appearance of the project, which is consented for buildings as tall as 17m high as well as replicas of sites in New York, Venice and Paris.The underwriting agreement will be funded through the $20M Queenstown Economic Transformation and Resilience Fund (QET), which aims to support established businesses with proposals not related to the tourism sector.Yesterday Kiritapu also announced $2.9M in funding for the expansion of Scapegrace Distillery in Cromwell and $3M for Gore’s James Cumming Community Centre and Library.PHOTO: Supplied

Heart of Wānaka has now released its draft masterplan for the Wānaka town centre.Since 2021 the steering group has been developing an integrated town centre plan designed to feed into the council’s planning, channel funding to where it is most needed, and improve the town centre as a destination.Input has been sought from the public, affected groups and stakeholders to help build a picture for the future of the Wānaka town centre and the draft masterplan builds on those conversations.Heart of Wānaka steering group chair Andrew ‘Howie’ Howard said he wanted to emphasie that the draft could be developed further.“All feedback and input is appreciated and will be considered,” he said. “Working through this draft process may take some time but it is absolutely necessary to get the whole community on board and supporting this initiative.”Howie said one of the challenges of creating the draft masterplan was tackling the “perennial issue” of parking.Heart of Wānaka wants to hear from locals on what they think of the Wānaka town centre draft masterplan.“In order to introduce crossings at intersections and shade trees in the streets there are proposed to be small reductions in current numbers,” he said. Reducing car parking on the lakefront reserve, which has been a long held goal of the Lakefront Development Plan, can be offset by providing efficient parking on Lower Ardmore, free all-day parking on Hedditch, and introducing a managed parking system, Howie said. “The parking options outlined in the draft will increase overall parking available to workers and customers to allow for the continued future growth of our town, while at the same time, creating a more inviting and accessible town centre,” Howie said.Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board (WUCCB) chair Simon Telfer said the board was excited about the prospect of the town being better integrated with the lakefront and for it to be a welcoming place for people to enjoy.“The plan’s vision for people to be at the heart of the town centre is wonderful,” he said. “We greatly appreciate how many volunteer hours have gone into the project and hope to be able to formally support the plan towards the middle of the year.”Heart of Wānaka has already kicked off public engagement on the draft masterplan with a stand at the Wānaka A&P Show and two drop-in sessions.More drop-in sessions are coming up soon - at the Lake Wānaka Centre (in the Armstrong Room,) on both April 5 and April 6, from 1.30-3.30pm - and more yet to be confirmed.People can also have their say on the draft masterplan on the Heart of Wānaka website.PHOTOS: Supplied

A tourism expert who took the helm at RealNZ during the Covid-19 pandemic has handed in his resignation and made plans to return home as the tourism upswing continues.Stephen England-Hall joined RealNZ (a recreation, tourism and ski company which includes Cardrona Alpine Resort) in February 2021, helping the company prepare for the future.Under Stephen’s leadership the company has restructured, rebranded, refinanced and recapitalised, regrown revenues and is now on a path to recovery, entering the second half of this financial year materially ahead of plan, RealNZ chair Martin Dippie said.“Stephen has done an outstanding job transforming the company and placing the business on a solid foundation to benefit from tourism’s recovery,” Martin said. “The RealNZ and Cardrona brands are in great shape to continue to outperform the market.”Stephen said it was now time for him to head home to his family in Auckland.“As results turn positive and guests return it’s a good time to pass the reins to a new leader to continue the journey for this incredible company.“I’d like to thank the Queenstown, Wānaka, Te Anau and Southland communities for their support of RealNZ during my time with the business and for making me a welcome member of the community.”RealNZ is a leading tourism group which, in addition to the local skifields, owns various tourism experiences like the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves, Queenstown Jet, Walter Peak Farm and more.PHOTO: Supplied

Darby Partners, the proponents of the new Glendhu Golf Course, say it will be an 18-hole championship course designed and constructed to championship standards.Responding to questions from the Wānaka App, Darby Partners said the course will cover approximately 100 hectares and be around 6,000 metres in length. The Wānaka golf course is 5,770 metres.Darby Partners has played a lead role in a number of high profile golf courses in the Wakatipu basin including Jack’s Point, The Hills, and Millbrook. The course has been designed to championship standard.Director John Darby says the course will be ready to play in two years (2025).“Glendhu is well advanced, such that 18 months construction period is very achievable and we are aiming for an opening date for play six months post construction, given there are no unforeseen weather events,” he said.“Darby Partners has built the majority of new golf courses in New Zealand recently and each construction period has on average been 18 months.”John said renowned New Zealand golfer Sir Bob Charles has been involved in reviewing the golf course design layout and recently visited the site to review the latest design, providing positive feedback.A spokesperson for Darby Partners said the course is designed to leave as much of the existing terrain as “untouched” as possible and that all holes will have views of the lake, mountains, and aspects of Glendhu Bay.The golf course has been a 15-year project. The original land use consent was lodged in January 2007 and the consent was granted by the Queenstown Lakes District Council in May 2008, but was appealed to the Environment Court, which conferred approval in May 2012.Consents required to commence construction were granted in September 2022.Since acquiring 200 hectares of land for the golf course development in 2013, Darby Partners commenced native revegetation of over 150,000 native plants around the property, and areas of land have been retired from grazing to allow native vegetation to regenerate.The golf course consent includes a club house, visitor accommodation, and 42 residences. The spokesperson said designs for onsite facilities and the surrounding residential development are underway, with further announcements on this stage of the project to come.IMAGES: Supplied

Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) has announced it will pay a record interim dividend after a strong start to its financial year with the return of significant visitor numbers to the district.As majority shareholder (75%), the Queenstown Lakes District Council will receive $4.49M, which equates to about $150 per ratepayer.QAC board chair Adrienne Young-Cooper said Australian and domestic visitors had steadily returned to Queenstown Lakes during the reporting period (July 2022 to December 2022).“The great snow conditions during winter, combined with the uplift in passengers taking the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family, made the Southern Lakes a popular destination,” she said.This contributed to the $30M in revenue during the six month period, which was an increase of 136 percent on the same period a year earlier, and resulted in operating earnings growing 256 percent to $22.5M.Adrienne said another factor contributing to the increase in revenue was population growth in the district, which has grown by 10.5 percent since 2019 and is now close to 50,000. “With a larger population base and more New Zealanders working remotely, the airport remains an important link for residents of the region,” she said.QAC CEO Glen Sowry said he expected the steady return of travellers experienced during the reporting period would continue but cautioned that a forecast economic recession may have a suppressing effect on demand.It is anticipated the total dividend for FY23 will be the highest ever paid. The highest full-year dividend to date was $8.3M paid in FY19.PHOTO: Supplied

Local dairy farm Devon Dairies Ltd has been granted resource consent to establish a solar array on its Hāwea Flat property to supply power to the farm.In its application Devon Dairies said the primary purpose of the solar generation is to power milking sheds, pivot irrigators and for other farm use.The solar array consists of 1,818 solar panels and will cover an area of approximately 11,000 square metres with 13 rows reaching a height approximately 2.05m above the ground.In its application Devon Dairies stated the location and the height of the solar array means the solar array will either not be visible or be very difficult to see from outside of the site or from distant viewpoints. The solar array will sit above the ground and take up approximately 11,000 square metres.The array will be visible from a length of approximately 600 metres of the nearby Hāwea River track. The landscape assessment that accompanied the consent application concluded “the proposal will create an inconspicuous new element that will not contradict the character of the existing landscape and maintain its values”.According to the Devon Dairies application the renewable energy source will improve the overall sustainability of the farm; and solar arrays will increasingly form part of the rural character as they become more affordable.In 2019 Dairy News reported that Woodville dairy farmers Mathew and Suzanne Jackson halved their farms electricity cost after installing a small solar array.In December 2022, Canterbury-based solar provider Solagri Energy introduced a $10M debt financing facility which is expected to fund approximately 120 solar arrays on farms,Rural News Group reported.Solagri chief executive Peter Saunders said the investment comes at a time when farmers are looking at different ways to cut costs and save money and the solar offer gives farmers price stability without increasing debt.Devon Dairy Farms declined to comment.PHOTOS: Supplied

A proposed expansion to the Wānaka Hotel will feature two new retail spaces and an additional 21 guest rooms and suites.Owners of the Ardmore Street hotel, which was built in 1960, have submitted a resource consent application to Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) for the significant expansion.It is currently being considered by council staff.Application documents show the new retail spaces would be located in one of two new building extensions.The hotel is located on a prime town-centre site.As well as the hotel itself, the premises also already has a cafe, restaurant, homeware store, liquor store and bar. “Two spaces on the lower floor of the southern building extension are to be used for retail premises,” planner Nicola Scott said in application documents.The three-storey extension would be connected to the southern end of the existing hotel’s southern wing.The remaining two storeys of the southern extension - which is around 131m2 in total - would feature four two-bedroom apartments for hotel guests.A second, larger building would be located to the east of the existing southern wing of the hotel.The two-storey, 238.1m2 block would have 17 guest units. Wānaka Hotel Property Ltd’s one hectare site is prime town centre real estate.Its street address - and access to existing retail spaces and the hotel entry - are on Ardmore Street on the north of the site; the Lake Wānaka Centre is to the west; and to the east are commercial buildings and carparks.To the south of the site is the Wānaka Library and a through-lane known as Bullock Creek Lane. The proposed extensions represent “relatively small scale insertions into an existing developed site within central Wānaka” urban designer Paula Costello said.QLDC is currently considering the resource consent application.PHOTOS: Wānaka App

A proposed apartment complex in Three Parks designed specifically as affordable accommodation for local workers could be jeopardised by council’s proposed inclusionary zoning plan change, its developer says.The Willowridge Development concept is to build 25 three-storey townhouses, each with 176m2 of living space plus courtyards, balconies and garaging.“Each house has three bedrooms but [they] can be split into a one and a two bedroom self-contained units, so in effect there can be up to 50 individual rentals,” Three Parks developer Allan Dippie said.This proposed apartment complex will be located on the boundary of the Wānaka Recreation Centre’s football fields and athletics track.The apartment complex is planned to border the Rec Centre’s football fields and athletics track (at the bottom of the picture).“Companies can rent single or multiple units for their staff depending on their requirements or needs,” Allan saidHe imagined the greatest demand would come from businesses in Three Parks but it might eventually attract a mix of permanent and seasonal workers, including those in the ski industry, tourism related staff, subcontractors and construction staff.The apartments are at a design/feasibility stage at present and the viability of the project is “a critical factor,” Allan said. While it is important to build high quality, well designed solutions to the accommodation shortage, the main issue is ensuring they are also affordable, he said.“No use building housing people can’t afford to occupy.”And one of the economic viability factors being considered is the added costs associated with Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) proposed inclusionary zoning plan change.Inclusionary zoningCouncil’s proposed inclusionary zoning plan change is still under consideration but if it is adopted unmodified “it would kill this apartment complex”, Allan said.A comprehensive housing proposal like this Three Parks project is pretty marginal from an economic perspective, Allan said, without also ‘subsidising’ the QLDC’s affordable housing plans.The plan change is considering a new tax on residential development and construction to provide for affordable housing. The tax will be added to land sales and developments not already covered by negotiated agreements to provide funding or land to the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT).The QLCHT supports the key principles of the plan change but believes the council’s proposal is too wide in scope, and requires some refinement.Read also: Mixed support for inclusionary zoning from housing trust QLCHT has built and delivered a total of eight housing developments (119 homes) which, together with other houses purchased, has helped 244 local households into homes throughout the district. Further housing developments (totalling over 100 homes) are underway at Northlake, Lake Hāwea and Arrowtown.Allan acknowledged the trust has “done some great work but it’s a minor player in the housing supply market across the district”.  A range of initiatives needs to be explored, especially initiatives that encourage and facilitate housing rather than discourage development, he said.IMAGES: Willowridge Developments

A 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry has been appointed to the position of general manager for the Ignite Wānaka Chamber of Commerce.In an email to chamber members Glenn Peat announced his own appointment saying that he has a “real passion for engaging, networking and creating positive change”.“I believe that I have the experience to contribute positively to the Wānaka business community,” he said.“My excitement towards this role is to assist in engaging, developing our business community through professional leadership and the opportunity to create positive change.”Glenn is currently the group general manager for the Taco Medic restaurant chain and will continue in that role. Prior to moving to Wānaka in 2018 he managed leading brand hotels in China and India.“We are delighted to have someone of Glenn’s calibre take on this role to help the board refine and deliver its strategy to support the local business community,” Ignite Wānaka board chair Jo Learmonth said.“We are excited about our plans for 2023 and look forward to having Glenn become a recognised face within our business community.”The organisation’s general manager role has been vacant since March 2022 when the former general manager Naomi Lindsay resigned to pursue her own business ventures.Glenn said he looks forward to working with the Ignite Wānaka board to provide opportunities for business growth and success, through strong advocacy, training and networking both within and outside of the region.PHOTO: Supplied

A Wānaka cafe owner has challenged the minister of tourism to visit his cafe to see the reality of current hospitality conditions.Ritual Cafe co-owner Chris Hadfield wrote to Stuart Nash on Wednesday (January 4) asking for a personal meeting with him, after he took exception to the minister’s comments about the impact of visitor numbers on hospitality.In a story first published on Radio New Zealand, Stuart said more than 20,000 working holiday visa holders had arrived in New Zealand since the border fully reopened last July and businesses were working hard to give summer tourists that "famous New Zealand experience"."We are working as hard as we possibly can to fill the gaps, even though there are some areas - Queenstown comes to mind - where the labour shortage is reasonably acute," Stuart said."If it takes people five or 10 minutes longer to get a coffee, or 15 minutes longer to get a meal, then so be it. I still think the level of service received will still be done with a smile and people will still have the experience they've come over here for."Chris told the minister his comments “astound me with your apparent acceptance of customers waiting times for coffee and food”. “As wait times increase then the number of customers that we can serve directly decreases and obviously our income is directly affected,” he wrote.On social media Chris was less careful with his words, saying the minister was “completely out of touch with how hospitality works”.“If every coffee takes 15 minutes longer then with every passing minute we get further and further behind.Chris (who is also a member of the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board) said he has been running Ritual Cafe for over 15 years and “this has been the most difficult period ever and relates to the inability to find staff”. He told the minister he has a good feel for how local businesses are coping and “it does not paint a pretty picture”.Chris told the Wānaka App he wants to speak to the minister face to face. However, that’s unlikely to happen soon as the minister is on holiday until January 16.Chris has been outspoken about his criticisms of the government’s changes to visa requirements, and in May last year he told the Wānaka App staff shortages were “worse than ever”.Read more: Businesses in ‘survival mode’, concerned about new visaThis past Boxing Day was the busiest ever for Ritual Cafe, as it was one of only a few cafes open in Wānaka.PHOTOS: Supplied

A proposed residential subdivision at the Otago Fish & Game Council’s Wānaka property will not impose on the Bullock Creek springs and wetlands. Otago Fish & Game Council has applied for resource consent to subdivide its substantial Stone Street site into nine lots.Six of these would be residential lots and the other three lots - which make up the majority of the site and include the wetlands - would “remain in the status quo”, application documents say. If approved, the residential subdivisions on the site would be located at the northwest corner of the site, on flat land below the wetlands and the popular boardwalk and away from the flow of the creek. The proposal would not affect the Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs walkway, a boardwalk across the wetlands.The subdivision and sale of part of the land would free up funds for other initiatives, Otago Fish & Game Council chief executive Ian Hadland told the Wānaka App.“Otago Fish & Game Council, as a not for profit organisation, needs to manage its assets carefully and efficiently on behalf of angling and hunting licence holders,” Ian said. He said the council had agreed that the “opened grass area of Central Wānaka land didn’t do that in its current form” and disposal of the assets and applying the funds elsewhere was “an appropriate and prudent option”.Subdivision plans show the proposed residential lots (1-6) would be located on the northwestern edge of the property.It also “puts the council in a good position to take up opportunities as they come up,” Ian said.There was “no doubt” the 2.4ha+ of wetlands would be retained, he said, and a portion of proceeds from any sale would be dedicated to the ongoing restoration and protection of the spring and wetlands. Bullock Creek is spring-fed from the Cardrona aquifer and is an important nursery stream for brown and rainbow trout. It runs from the Fish & Game site - an old hatchery - to the Alpha Series residential development in Meadowstone and on to Lake Wānaka.Panels added at the popular walkway a couple of years ago provide interesting facts about Bullock Creek’s history.The Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs Walkway, a 330m raised boardwalk across the wetlands, was publicly unveiled in 2018 after a collaborative effort by local residents and other agencies.  More recently Friends of Bullock Creek (FOBC) added panels to the boardwalk which feature gems of historic information about the creek and its environs.Otago Fish & Game Council’s resource consent application to subdivide the property is currently being considered by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC).PHOTOS: Wānaka App

A film company and a technology company have been given a financial boost with loans from the Queenstown economic transformation and resilience fund.Minister for Economic and Regional Development Stuart Nash said the government has approved a $2 million loan for Target 3D and a $1.25m loan for Loaded Reports from the fund.Nash said the $20m fund was intended to provide a level of diversification for the Queenstown economy because it had such a heavy reliance on international tourists.He said it was hoped the fund would put the region in a better position if it ever faced a drop off in tourists again, as has been experienced in recent years.Target 3D, a motion capture and production studio, will use the money to upgrade its Queenstown digital studio. Nash said Loaded Reports, a hospitality software platform, would be able to grow its business on a global scale."These are both digital/ IT companies and there is a lot of this sort of stuff going on in Queenstown at the moment," Nash said. "And if we could form some sort of digital film/ IT hub down there that would go a long way towards achieving our goals of economic diversification."Nash said the fund has a number of other projects on the drawing board but it was far from exhausted."There's still quite a bit left there so I would say to any business in Queenstown or any business looking to relocate or locate in Queenstown to give their local Kānoa or provincial development guys a call, because we are happy to help."Nash said there were similar funds in four other regions identified as overly reliant on international tourists, and they were interested in providing loans to any businesses other than tourism and construction.PHOTO: Supplied / Queenstown Airport

The Wānaka community has another opportunity to have a say about the way tourism is operating in the Queenstown Lakes at a community meeting this Thursday (November 17). The meeting follows significant public feedback on the new destination management strategy for Queenstown Lakes - the ‘Tourism for a Better Future’ draft strategy - which was shared with the district’s community in August. There have been more than 1,600 visits to the regenerative tourism website housing the strategy document and more than 600 downloads, resulting in 33 pieces of detailed feedback from individuals and organisations.Lake Wānaka Tourism general manager Tim Barke said the feedback focused on key themes such as decarbonisation, climate and biodiversity, and management of visitor numbers.“Together, the Queenstown Lakes district has the opportunity to rethink how the visitor economy works and to imagine how it can deliver social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits through tourism that also provides exceptional visitor experiences,” he said.What is regenerative tourism?Tim said demand is growing for “green and sustainable tourism”, and the notion of regenerative tourism is fast gathering pace.A regenerative visitor economy is one that gives back more than it takes, a principle that is being adopted by leading places and tourism destinations internationally.A local example of a business practising regenerative tourism is Eco Tours Wānaka which, for the past 15 years, has been planting trees to reforest Mou Waho Island, an initiative so successful that Buff Weka and other species have been reintroduced and are breeding successfully.High country tour operator Ridgeline Adventures has implemented a predator control programme by setting trap lines which they check as part of their 4WD tourism experience.Tim said the elimination of single use cups in many businesses and cafes in Wānaka is reducing waste going to landfill and is a good example of what the community can achieve.“There are a large number of examples of businesses who are, and many who have been for a long time, working to regenerate ecosystems and the environments they operate in,” he said.How might tourism marketing change?A key element of a regenerative strategy is communicating who we are as a community, Tim said.“By telling the stories of who we are as a community, what we love about this place, what we value, what we love to do and how we like to protect it, we can attract the type of people who this resonates with.“We can also invite them to get involved or contribute to local initiatives underway to benefit our place, which can be supporting local cultural events, helping with regeneration of our ecosystems and conservation or contributing financially to local initiatives.” But New Zealand is a long-haul destinationTim said the future of New Zealand tourism requires a proposition aligned with a low carbon future as there is a growing international realisation that travel is carbon intensive and long-haul travel even more so. “People are realising that greenhouse gas emissions are a significant influence on climate change and the effects of which are being increasingly felt and seen internationally and in New Zealand,” he said.“Air travel is a significant contributor to this and since we are an island and the majority of people arrive here by aircraft, this is a significant factor.”Tim said technological solutions are rapidly evolving to reduce and eventually eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft travel with significant investment and significant customer demand for this to happen.Creating the plan and next stepsRegional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) across New Zealand received government funding in 2020 from the Strategic Assets Protection Programme to develop destination management plans, in line with MBIE’s destination management guidelines. The region’s two RTOs, Destination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism, in partnership with Queenstown Lakes District Council, came together to develop a roadmap for tourism putting people and place at its centre and enabling a viable and regenerative tourism future by 2030.International destination management experts Destination Think are partnering with the steering group to develop and enhance the strategy further, based on the feedback received.Destination Think, which has considerable international experience with complex destination planning, will visit Queenstown Lakes in November to meet with community, stakeholders and industry to provide an update on the revised strategy and next steps with implementation. A community meeting will be held in Wānaka this Thursday (November 17).PHOTO: Wānaka App

Maude’s Reserve East Block Riesling has scooped the prestigious Heritage Rose Bowl Trophy at the National Wine Awards of Aotearoa (NWAA) 2022. It’s the latest of many accolades for the local, family-run vineyard, which was started by Dawn and Terry Wilson in 1994 and continues to be run with daughter Sarah-Kate and son-in-law Dan Dineen winemaking.The Heritage Rose Bowl Trophy recognises a wine which has shown excellence over ten years, NWAA convenor Jo Gear told the Wānaka App, adding that it rewards wines that have developed “grace and complexity over time”.“It is a very special award,” she said.The riesling vines, located at the Mt Maude vineyard in the sunny and sheltered Maungawera Valley, were planted close to 30 years ago by Dawn and Terry and they are now “lovely mature vines,” Sarah-Kate said. Winegrower Sarah-Kate Dineen (centre) with NWAA host Anne Scott and presenter Jesse Mulligan at the awards gala in Auckland. PHOTO: Supplied“The riesling vines are picked in two parcels, purely for their different flavour attributes, due to the vine’s aspect, clone and soil type.”On the western side of the Mt Maude homestead grow the vines that make the Dry Riesling, which Sarah-Kate said was “restrained and tight in structure with its aromatics of talc and wet slate”. “Across the other side of the house comes East Block Riesling, being more sheltered and receiving the first of the morning light, the grapes ripen earlier,” she said. “The flavours are more fruit forward and in the green apple and orange blossom spectrum, ideal for our sweeter, lower alcohol East Block Riesling.”Sarah-Kate Dineen said the Maude team was “delighted” that the Maude East Block Riesling had been recognised in this way.“To win the Heritage Rose Bowl Trophy, which recognises the style, quality, consistency and age-ability of a wine across a decade is the ultimate to us.” The National Wine Awards of Aotearoa is the country’s newest and only national wine show.  Winners celebrated at an awards gala on Sunday October 6 at Auckland’s Hilton Hotel.

The Queenstown Lakes district resident population is estimated at 49,500 as of June 2022 according to population estimates released by Stats NZ last week (October 25).The population has grown 16.5 percent over the past four years, up from 42,500 in 2018, to record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.9 percent.The latest figures show the district’s population has been increasing at more than 2,000 people each year over the past 10 years, however this slowed in 2020 and 2021 due to a decline in international migration.The data also shows we are aging, with the average age across the district 35.1 years compared to 33.8 years in 2018. The proportion of the population over the age of 40 is 40.6 percent, an increase from 39.3 percent in 2018.Forecast population data from Stats NZ projected the district’s population to grow to 57,900 by 2033 and 64,800 by 2043 which is an annual growth rate of approximately 1.4 percent, well below the current rate.Stats NZ did not provide a breakdown for the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Ward, however earlier population projections by the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) showed the ward comprised approximately 32 percent of the district's total population. At that proportion the current resident population of the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Ward would be 16,000 today, growing to 18,700 by 2033 and 21,000 by 2043.QLDC’s latest projections have Wānaka-Upper Clutha closer to 20,000 population by 2033 while the current annual growth rate for the district (3.9 percent) would see the ward’s population grow to 23,500 in the next 10 years.The Otago population is now estimated at 246,000 growing at 0.92 percent annually, and the New Zealand population is estimated at 5.12M growing 0.9 percent each year.PHOTO: Wānaka App

A Wānaka-based business has won the Most Outstanding Established Business accolade at The David Awards 2022.Smile Box, an online gifting business which sends products all over New Zealand from its workshop in Wānaka, was named the winner during last month’s ceremony.Husband and wife duo Tom and Hannah Wrench, owners of Smile Box, said they were thrilled to have their business named winner of the category. "It means a lot to us to be recognised for what we've achieved over the last five years,” they said. “We've been through a steep learning curve and a rollercoaster ride, particularly with starting a new family at the same time.”The judges said the category was hotly contested with businesses demonstrating solid business growth but “spectacular and consistent growth, commendable values, clever marketing and a healthy set of financials put Smile Box over the winner's line first".Other David Award 2022 winners include Block Dock, who won the 'Supreme Winner' award and Stock Fox, who took out the 'Most Innovative Business' category.The David Awards recognise the "unsung heroes" in small business.PHOTO: Supplied