Ruapehu needs airport - council plan submission

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 656, 1 October 1996, Page 1

Ruapehu needs airport - council plan submission

Aprovincial-sized airport is needed for the Ruapehu district, according to Waimarino Community Board member Robert Horne. Mr Horne has made submission to the Ruapehu District Council 199798 annual plan process that the council "investigate the viability of establishing a provincial sized airport". "Many tourist operators, particularly those based in the Waimarino, now feel that the Ruapehu region is being disadvantaged because there is not an airport to cater for commuter-sized aircraft," states Mr Horne. He said travel wholesalers are channelling tourists to other regions that

can provide aircraft landing. "One operator in Ohakune has estimated their lost beds/occupancy numbers are 1000 to 1200 per year. This equates to $100,000 per annum for that business alone. Previous figures from the marketing unit indicate that every dollar spent in the region is circulated approximately 4.5 times, thus there is an annual gain of $450,000 to the region." He said for various reasons the Raetihi site is considered the best alternative with regard to location and that also in favour of the Raetihi site is "the fact that in addition to the existing formed strip there is extra land available" to cater for an extension.