1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Good news property and tourism. Airburn, Central Otago forecast to 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:05,480 Speaker 1: become the most popular attraction in the region. Over a 3 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: million are expected to walk through their doors. Now Chris 4 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,720 Speaker 1: means the Winter and CEO and Airburn owner and as 5 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: well as Chris morning, well, I'm well, thank you. The 6 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: line between soaking up an already successful region, in other words, 7 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: you open your doors that people were already there, versus 8 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: providing something that attracts your share plus some what's the magic. 9 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 2: Well, I think you're floating boat rises, floating tide rises 10 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 2: or boats, and I think we're attracting visitors to Queenstown. 11 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 2: So I think the whole region is benefiting from what 12 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 2: we're doing. And you know, I only have that continues 13 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 2: into the future. 14 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 1: The car show that was successful, everything seems that you 15 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:41,639 Speaker 1: built it, they came seems to be the same. 16 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 2: And I mean, if you go back a few years, 17 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 2: it was a sheep paddic in the middle of our 18 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:47,840 Speaker 2: town with a bunch of rubble on the floor which 19 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 2: used to be the old historic buildings. And you know, 20 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 2: we had a vision of putting the most magnificent botanic 21 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 2: garden in New Zealand in the grounds and we've done that, 22 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 2: and we've built ten restaurants and ours and we've done 23 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 2: that and they're trading very well and people love it. 24 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 2: You walk around there and all you see is people 25 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 2: would a spoil on their face? Yeah, was it a risk, 26 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 2: I'll tell you no doubt. But if you put it 27 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 2: in context, there's about thirty million visitors a year at 28 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 2: Queenstown and we aim to be the thing that everyone 29 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 2: does every time they come to Queenstown. And so you know, 30 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 2: you and a billion we're tracking to Northwold million visitors. 31 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 2: It's about right. 32 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 1: Fantastic. Rest of your report was interesting. How would you 33 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,960 Speaker 1: describe the New Zealand economy in your area? Is it tough. 34 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 2: All? Auckland's diabolical and Queenstown's pretty good. It's a very 35 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 2: game of two halves, you know. Queenstown down south is 36 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 2: a it's very tight on supply, it's very high in demand, 37 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 2: so the market's boiled and it's good. And Auckland's almost 38 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 2: the opposite. If you go to around Auckland today and 39 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 2: you walk onto any building site, that builder doesn't have 40 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 2: work a month's time from now, you know the situation 41 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 2: here is only getting worse. 42 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:50,919 Speaker 1: Do you see green shoots. 43 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 2: Honestly, I don't and I think you know, I said yesterday, 44 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 2: until unemployment peaks, you won't see a turnaround. And I 45 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 2: honestly feel in Auckland that we're along one from the 46 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 2: peak of unemployment, which is a sad thing to say 47 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 2: and not an economist, but it certainly just how it 48 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 2: feels to me on the ground. 49 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: Is there something that somebody can do? You know, there 50 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: are bridges, are calling for help from the government. Is 51 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: there a leiever that can be pulled or is this 52 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: just the result of you know, year's worth of neglect 53 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: and problems and issues and regulation, red tapeing, et cetera. 54 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's two things. We because I think 55 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 2: they've got to attack this interest throw problem. It's just 56 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 2: got to come down faster. And I know you've been 57 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 2: saying that, but it's just it's just the fact of 58 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 2: the matter when you speak to people on the ground. 59 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,359 Speaker 2: But I think also the red tapers and you've heard 60 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,799 Speaker 2: me complain about it before, but it's just become disastrous 61 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 2: and you just can't get anything done when you're in 62 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 2: a market where you have to The economy relies on 63 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: construction and building and you can't get building done, you 64 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 2: know you're going to have a problem. 65 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly, all right, ma, I appreciate it very much. 66 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,839 Speaker 1: Chris May and who's the Winter CEO and Earburn owner? 67 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: Does that not sum up in a way the problem 68 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: of the New Zealand economy. You go to a place 69 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: like Central Otago, you're laughing and you can do business, 70 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: and you can do it well and profitably and successfully. 71 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: You go to the engine room of the economy forty 72 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: percent of GDP in Auckland and the place is completely 73 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: that only stuffed. For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, 74 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: listen live to News Talks at B from six am weekdays, 75 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:09,239 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.