Q
13 Sept - 19 Sept
LOCALLY OWNED SINCE FOREVER
No 868
LAKES WEEKLY BULLETIN
FE
T
AT BU UR S E IN IN E SI SS D E
Bring back the backpackers!
The ice bar up The Remarks was heaving on Saturday, as hundreds of Snow Machine festival attendees fought off their hangovers, or perhaps just pushed on through, and hit the mountain. Now, admittedly, I don’t go out much in town anymore, being older and more boring than I once was. But there has been a definite vibe change in Queenstown in recently weeks as thousands of energetic, slightly chaotic, fun-loving twenty and thirtysomethings descended first for Winter Pride, then Snow Machine. It takes you back doesn’t it, to pre-Covid, when the town was properly buzzing, with much of the energy coming from the thousands of backpackers who’d come from countries around the world, stay for a few months, lie on the beach, climb the mountains, work in the bars, restaurants and adventure tourism businesses, and then move on. Obviously, that was not without its problems. Accommodation was a big one. Who can remember 20-to-a-four-bedroom-house in Fernhill, hot-bedding, driveway vans rented out as accommodation, backpacker camps in the trees and at Gibbston? But, our paucity of affordable accommodation is hardly the fault of the people looking for it. Many of the other issues related to partying too hard. The beach was a bit of a disaster zone on Christmas Day, and Crate Day, while mostly good natured, was a bit much. The police and hospital staff had their hands full most weekends, although Kiwis and Aussie holidaymakers were as much to blame. Another problem were the dozens of for-sale backpacker cars left lining the streets, taking up valuable parks.
The Passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is being acknowledge with flags flown at half-mast across the region including at Eichardt’s Private Hotel in Queenstown (pictured). Condolence books are available for any who wish to sign them at the Council’s Gorge Road and Ardmore Street (Wānaka) offices.
Anyway, my point is, I don’t agree with this idea of low and high value visitors. Backpackers make sense, especially those on working holiday visas. Environmentally, although many come here long-haul, at least they stay in NZ for six months to a year, and don’t come on a private jet. The bush poos were an issue, but education, campervan toilets and public toilets could solve that one. Socially and spiritually, they add positivity, vibrancy and life-affirming joy, and economically, well, economically we need them. They provide short-term, relatively cheap, very willing labour, and then spend much of what they earn on local experiences. We could improve on-the-job training, to help their career prospects, and attract more Kiwis to hospitality and tourism industries, but not everything is a job for life. And, they’re needed for the economic long term too. I’d love to know how many business owners and managers arrived here as backpackers. There must be hundreds, people who’ve come for a few months and stayed for life. So, let’s not ignore them in favour of the well-healed on golfing holidays. Destination Queenstown, supported by businesses and government, should target backpackers, with subsidised airfares if needed. We need fresh blood. We don’t want to become a dull place where our kids want to get away from at the first opportunity. I don’t want to live in a retirement village just yet. Paul Taylor - Queenstown Media Group
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