What a buzz: Phil Mauger

We’re coming to the end of autumn, but I’m still thinking about the buzz that was in town throughout the tourist season.

It’s safe to say Christchurch has hita turning point. The city is positioning itself as being a vibrant destination, and next year it’s looking like it will be even busier. Earlier this month, I opened the TRENZ conference, which was held here for the first time in 17 years. We welcomed more than 1500 travel experts from around the world, all here to see the best of what our city and country have to offer. They checked out the tram and gondola, had a waka ride, toured town, and stopped off at the International Antarctic Centre.

We’re so lucky to be a gateway to the ice, and have the Antarctic Office too. Now the delegates will be back home, spreading the word about what a great place Christchurch is to visit, and stay a while. I can’t stress enough how good this will be for the economy. For every $1 a local spends in town, a tourist spends $6. Tourism drives investment in retail, hospitality, and amenity, which locals also benefit from. All of this adds up to that buzz in town I’ve been raving about, and we want even more of it. Bring on the next tourist season. Christchurch is open for business, and I, for one, cannot wait.