A cabinet reshuffle among New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s administration has seen the appointment of Peeni Henare as Associate Tourism Minister to help drive forward the issues and challenges facing the sector.
Tourism Industry Aotearoa says it is delighted at the news the government has responded to its calls for parliamentary representation and has extended its warmest welcome to Minister Henare.
“TIA’s long-held position has been that the size and importance of our industry justifies a high ranking Minister supported by an Associate Minister,” said TIA Chief Executive, Chris Roberts.
With tourism already the country’s largest export earner, generating NZ$107 million per day for the New Zealand economy, Roberts said its efforts late last year in seeking a tourism representative had yielded success, with Minister Henare already known to the industry as a former Tourism Spokesperson.
“We have a strong relationship with Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis but an inevitable consequence of a senior minister holding the portfolio is that it must compete with his other portfolios for time and attention,” Roberts added.