Market what?

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 620, 23 January 1996, Page 4

Market what?

• I wish to applaud and scold some of last week's "Letters" authors. Firstly, a bouquet to Ian Stewart. Congratulations on your delightful and totally unashamedly undiplomatic comments about Bob Peck's 'BNZ funeral' — it is heartening to see such dry humour. To "Old Guard" and "Bureau-crazy": Shame on you! It is obvious from your letters you are against progress and those who seek it. Although I am shocked by the writer pseudo-named "Beauro-crazy", if it is who I suspect then you are acting way out of character! Tourism is not essential to this region, but it is a nice bonus. Do not be afraid of being over-run by Japanese, Koreans or "The Hun" as in Rotorua and Queenstown, it will never happen. For one thing, the Waimarino doesn' t have the activities or ancillary services available to handle or attract large numbers of these very service-oriented tourist groups. Secondly, the region is better suited to New Zealanders (domestic tourism makes-up around 80 per cent of our total tourism market). Whilst we have vast tracts of native scenery, an active volcano and some of the country's best fishing spots, we still have a pathetically underdeveloped tourism infra-structure. I appeal to those in the community who perhaps are frightened of stepping into the future, and even a little more than slightly xenophobic, to broaden their horizons and show the rest of the country the world-renown hospitality on which Aotearoa's heritage is based upon. And to the knockers, even though I am well known for my loathing of anything bureaucratic I say give the council marketing team a chance; if Bruce Rollinson is missing something, for goodness sakes ring the bloke up and let him know. It is easy to snipe behind a pen-name, but consider this: perhaps this part of the region doesn't actually have anything to market?!

Jarrod

Coburn