A free shuttle service which brought about 20,000 cruise liner passengers into Tauranga's CBD last summer cannot operate this year due to strict guidelines set by Tourism Bay of Plenty.
As a result, Tauranga business owners say they are missing out on thousands of dollars' worth of business because passengers simply are not visiting the CBD.Tauranga retailer Bill Campbell wants his free shuttle back up and running for the CBD. Photo: Daniel Hines
Voyager of the Seas arrived yesterday, carrying thousands of tourists, but owner of Tauranga business Fancy That Bill Campbell says he only saw a handful of the passengers – a far cry from the 650-odd who visited his store daily last year when his shuttle was running.
'We had the biggest cruise ship we have had for years and look at the CBD - there was nobody here.”
Bill and his wife Francis ran a free shuttle for three seasons which transported ship passengers from the Port to Tauranga's CBD.
The shuttle ran on arrival of every cruise ship, competing with Princess Travels which offered a similar shuttle bus into the CBD for a cost of $15 per person.
Bill says about 650 people visited his gift and souvenir shop every cruise ship day when the service was running.
'The last time we ran a shuttle here we brought 20,000 people for the season. Most people want to go to the CBD and have a look. That's human nature.”
But Bill says guidelines set by Tourism Bay of Plenty this year mean the free shuttle service can no longer operate – costing Tauranga businesses thousands of dollars.
'This season we have had no support from the Council and Tourism Bay of Plenty.”
Tourism Bay of Plenty manager Rhys Arrowsmith says if Bill wanted to run the bus service he could, but he needs the licence to do so and space for pick-ups and drop-offs.
'If he fits all the legal criteria in which he's allowed to run a bus service then he can do what he feels fit as long as he fits within council compliance Land Transport compliance he can do what he wants.
'He has full rights to run a bus service as long as it complies with all the passenger laws.”
Frances, who used to work for Tourism BOP, says the guidelines put down by the company state if they want to continue to run the free shuttle they need to pay for Tourism BOP to advertise in the Information Site.
Frances and Bill were also told by Tourism BOP the shuttle would not be allowed to run unless it was quol marked – a way of rating the quality of the service.
'We can't be quol marked, because we have nothing to quol mark.”
Frances says the guidelines put forward by Tourism BOP are not viable as the shuttle was free.
18 comments
Who'd want to go to the CBD
Posted on 30-11-2012 17:51 | By Phailed
It must be so awful with every Tom, Dick and Campbell moaning all the time. Why the constant requests for support from Council and TBOP? Most real businesses succeed by themselves don't they?
lol
Posted on 30-11-2012 18:49 | By Capt_Kaveman
As posted last year TCC BOPT PoT and Qualmark all have thier hands in each others pocket and is a disgrace
What if?
Posted on 30-11-2012 19:42 | By Tony
Kirby got a Bus lisence.....And Downtown retails lease a bus...?
us or them
Posted on 30-11-2012 20:27 | By hapukafin
This is another case of not wanting the Tauranga CBD to be successful.They rather send the tourists to Rotorua.
MESSAGE RECEIVED BILL
Posted on 30-11-2012 20:29 | By PLONKER
Don't worry mate all the passengers all went to Rotorua CBD instead, they were welcome there and there were car parks to.
Money makes the world go round
Posted on 30-11-2012 20:41 | By waiknot
Just work out away for TBOP to clip the ticket and you will be in. So 10% of nothing is nothing for TBOP, so I guess your out in the cold.
@ BILL CAMPBELL
Posted on 30-11-2012 22:45 | By TERMITE
Understand you concerns and they are genuine and real, the $15 bus clearly pays money to TBOP so that means they need to shut you out to protect all. That si what happens when there is a monopoly and of course our wanderful councilors are still thinking that the city is wanderful, lovely and that they are just so wanderful ... blah blah ...
@ Phailed
Posted on 30-11-2012 23:34 | By Colleen Spiro
No one here as I see it is asking Council or TBOP for anything.....THERE WAS A FREE BUS RUNNING, trying to entice passengers to the CBD......a great place to visIt....BUT we live in a CORRUPT city with a HUGE BIG BOYS NETWORK.....It is a DISGRACE. Something HAS TO BE DONE!
Free enterprise
Posted on 01-12-2012 05:48 | By Sambo
and a level playing field, thats all anyone in business wants, then if they fail it is on them, the C.B.D is in its death throes, due to the T.C.C, the city is loosing its heart!!!
Free or self interest?
Posted on 01-12-2012 08:19 | By Phailed
Friends took "free" transport on an overseas holiday once. Turned out it was nothing more than a hard sell attempt to get them and others into some souvenir shops that were highly overpriced.
Who Phailed
Posted on 01-12-2012 10:31 | By Accountable
to understand the issue here.Only Phailed.I know for a fact that if you were to contact Fancy That and talk to them you will soon understand the greed of the council controlled organisation operating under the name of Tourism Bay of Plenty.If somebody is prepared to do something for themselves and the CBD why not welcome them with open arms? Its all about a monopoly run by TBOP for profit on behalf of the council.They shouldn't be competing with the people that subsidise them.Maybe the council should just go out and buy every business in Tauranga and become a communist city and run it for the benefit of our city representatives.
Accountable
Posted on 01-12-2012 17:45 | By Sambo
I am with you.
Accountability for Accountable
Posted on 01-12-2012 18:55 | By Phailed
How can TBOP as you say be "run for profit on behalf of the Council?" How much does TBOP pay Council? Answer: nothing unless you can tell us otherwise. In fact Council collects rates from all commercial properties and gives some to TBOP. I'm against that. It would be much fairer to take the costs from tourism businesses only instead of taking from all commercial ratepayers. Yet it's the tourism businesses who moan??? Also I've never said a free bus should be stopped. Hire a bus, pick up from any bus stop and drop off at any bus stop like a variety of bus companies do. Please explain exactly what "Council" rules stop you from doing that??? I'm getting sick of all the moaners in Tauranga, retailers or tourist operators or whoever. If things are so bad please explain how the souvenir shop has expanded into the next door one? I like a bit of balance and often look for the other side of the populist stories. Sorry if that upsets Accountable.
What a Load of Bollocks
Posted on 02-12-2012 11:17 | By Jitter
Tourism Bay of Plenty are doing the right thing to help develop the Tauranga tourist business by stifling private enterprise and initiative. Yeah right ! What an absolute pack of idiots, they always have been and still are. Rhys Arrowsmith of TBOP is talking a load of crap. However if TBOP suggested a free bus I bet there would be no obstacles put in their way. It sounds like a real case of sour grapes. Council subsidised TBOP should be shut down completely as they have never come up with any idea which is productive to benefit Tauranga. It looks to me like a combined effort by TCC and the quasi TCC TBOP to continue to take business away from downtown Tauranga and to shut the CBD down. TBOP, Priority One and Smart Growth are three organisations which are heavily subsidised by ratepayers and never produce anything practical to assist the development of the BOP. They are all members of the NATO club - No Action Talk Only and as such deserve to be put down. They are parasitic organisations surviving on ratepayer subsidies. If they were doing a good job they would be able to support themselves.
So what if TBOP gets a commission on sales
Posted on 02-12-2012 12:02 | By Phailed
No different to mark ups at souvenir shops which are a great deal more than 10%. Also isn't the idea of a free bus to get shoppers into your souvenir shop? I've no problem with that, but isn't that a form of commission?? I certainly hope that these stories and angry pics don't get into tourists hands. They'd never come to the CBD free or not.
Phailed
Posted on 02-12-2012 13:38 | By Accountable
People go into business to make a profit and its totally unfair when you pay rates to have the council compete with the ratepayer don't you think. A 10% mark up would not even pay the rates.How can a free shuttle run by Fancy That be a form of commission? Another fact is that the cruise ship passengers cannot understand the councils stance on the subject either. They would all jump at the chance to take a free shuttle to the CBD as has been proved by past experience.
@PHAILED
Posted on 02-12-2012 20:14 | By PLONKER
Phailed you missed the point, Tourism BOP have a monopoly on the wharf, huge Council subsidy and undercut everyone else, got it now?
10% for services rendered
Posted on 06-12-2012 12:35 | By waiknot
Why shut the Mount ISITE? to justify putting one on the wharf. Why put an isite on the wharf to get to the passengers before anyone else Now TBOP have a monopoly position on the wharf pay TBOP 10% commission for services that were not needed in the past and are not needed now. But TBOP have a monoply position and sign up the passengers before anyone else can see them, and TBOP need the income and work to justify and protect their jobs. Well that's how I see it.
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