9. Question No. 9—TourismHon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) to the Minister of TourismQuestion No. 9—Tourism9. Hon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) to the Minister of Tourism: Why was AJ Hackett given a $5.1 million grant by the Government but outbound tourism operators such as travel agents were given no support in the recently announced $311 million COVID aid package?Hon KELVIN DAVIS (Minister of Tourism): AJ Hackett and over 120 other tourism businesses all met the strategic asset criteria they applied and were approved to receive financial support. No outbound operators like travel agents applied to the strategic asset fund—that is why no support was given.Hon Todd McClay: Is he aware that travel agents continue to assist clients with refunds without remuneration and if so does he think the Government should support them as they have AJ Hackett?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Well first of all they received the wage subsidy scheme but I've heard varying levels of support that the outbound tourism operators want. First of all it was a billion dollars that they wanted support from the Government then it was $180 million then it was $30 million. Look if they need support from the Government then they need to come to us with a coherent package of the support that they need not just plucking figures out of the air.Hon Todd McClay: Has he requested any information on the number of jobs that would be lost in the outbound tourism sector when the wage subsidy ends compared to the 20 jobs saved at AJ Hackett by his Government's $5.1 million grant?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Specifically to that question no I haven't asked about job losses in the outbound tourism sector but I know that the $400 million package that we've announced—16 times bigger than the $25 million package a year that the Opposition are offering the tourism industry—will save 3000 jobs directly 7000 jobs if all of those businesses post-COVID are able to ramp up and then the positive spillover effects into businesses around them will mean thousands more jobs will be saved because of the wonderful $400 million package that this Government has put together for the tourism industry.Rino Tirikatene: What reports has he seen in response to the support given to AJ Hackett?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult said the money would benefit the whole of Queenstown—It is one of those businesses that is Queenstown and if somebody out of town was conjuring up a vision of Queenstown AJ Hackett Bungy would certainly be there alongside other businesses." He said restaurants bars hotels and other operators all gain from bungy surviving.Rino Tirikatene: What further announcements has he made regarding the tourism recovery package?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: The tourism recovery package that I announced on Saturday includes over $230 million in grants and loans for 126 strategic tourism businesses that could help protect the jobs of around 3000 people directly employed in the industry $50 million for a regional events fund $20 million for the inbound tour operator loan scheme and $10 million to lift digital capability in the sector.Barbara Kuriger: What similarities does the criteria use for assessing the AJ Hackett grant have to the criteria used to grant funding to Tourism Holdings Ltd in Waitomo sooner than small-tourism operators such as Waitomo Adventures Footwhistle Glowworm Cave and local travel agents?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: We moved quickly to support strategic tourism businesses that needed urgent help. At the time these decisions were made the Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme (STAPP) was going to follow a similar path and process. However the economic conditions and reality have changed and we had to adapt the support we're providing other businesses. This was the only way we were able to support a broad range of tourism businesses in a sustainable way that made sense. The Tourism Recovery Ministers Group has a mandate that it can decide on urgent investments which are outside the application round and it has done so on these occasions.Hon Todd McClay: Is the Minister aware that the outbound tourism operators support thousands and thousands of jobs around the country which are now at risk without direct Government support and why has he prioritised businesses like AJ Hackett and those 20 workers over travel agents?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I'm not sure that the member understands that outbound tourism operators are trying to lure New Zealanders out of New Zealand into overseas markets when our job is to lure overseas people into New Zealand to support our tourism industry. The fact of the matter though is that the borders are closed and there is no inbound or outbound tourism happening at the moment.Hon Stuart Nash: Has the Minister heard reports that the $500000 granted to Napier's Art Deco Trust over two years will save their iconic festival which was probably going to have to be cancelled without this announcement will save lots of jobs and contribute greatly to Napier's economic recovery?SPEAKER: Right. Order! The member may answer any two of those four questions.Hon KELVIN DAVIS: We've heard reports from all around the country from the tourism industry about what wonderful support STAPP has been. As we've said 7000 jobs and 3000 jobs directly will be saved if those businesses can amp up as well as the positive spillover effects into other businesses around because of the STAPP and the whole tourism package. I have to remind everybody: our $400 million we've invested this year is 16 times bigger than the package that the Opposition are offering to the tourism industry.Rt Hon Winston Peters: In respect of tourism ventures in the criteria is there the judgment which runs something like this: "It's not likely to create an envy factor when looked at in the big picture."?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Our criteria were well-thought-out and as I said the tourism operators the 126 that got it met the criteria unlike the outbound tourism operators who didn't even apply. So they couldn't meet the criteria with no application.Hon Todd McClay: Does the Minister think it's good enough that he's saying to the thousands and thousands of people that work for tourism businesses to travel agents around the country who are about to lose their jobs that it's their fault that nobody applied and he hasn't even bothered to ask how many would lose their job or sought to meet with them?SPEAKER: Order! Order! The other questions the member asked had some relevance to the responsibilities of the Minister of Tourism; the Minister of Tourism is not responsible for outbound operators."