A report by regional economist Benje Patterson aims to highlight the contribution of Timaru and South Canterbury’s primary sector exports, and was commissioned by economic development agency Venture Timaru. Exports from the region totalled $3.9 billion in 2022.
The Minister has boiled Queenstown-Lakes' problem down to an acute shortage of affordable housing that we must build our way out of, but this belittles our short-term problem. Many people living in cars in Queenstown are not poor, with most employed and earning far more than even a living wage - they simply can’t find a house to rent at any price point.
This report puts the spotlight on worker sentiment and employment conditions in Queenstown-Lakes compared to New Zealand. The data shows that workers in Queenstown-Lakes consistently reported higher levels of workplace satisfaction and better employment conditions than the New Zealand average.
A recent report by Benje Patterson estimates that there were 272,328 guest nights by silver tourists on the West Coast at the pre-Covid tourism peak, which equated to 21% of all guest nights in the region. The silver tourism economy, defined as touristic activity by people aged 65 years and over, represents a key growth opportunity for tourism in the West Coast.
The silver tourism economy is a big deal for New Zealand – with silver tourists representing one in five travellers across the country. Silver tourists are travellers aged 65 years and older. As a cohort these older travellers are often overlooked, but silver tourists represent a key growth opportunity for tourism across our regions.
I recently participated in a panel interview with NBR on how New Zealand responds to shocks. My fellow panelists were former Reserve Bank of New Zealand Governor Alan Bollard and academic Ilan Noy.