Rotorua mayor Tania Tapsell says she is confident the new Government will address the city’s remaining emergency housing concerns.

She hit the mountain bike trails in The Redwoods, Whakarewarewa Forest, with new Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey on Wednesday.

The National Party minister completed the ride in a suit, having come from a meeting with 15 Rotorua tourism operators about the challenges they were facing.

He said they were still experiencing impacts stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic and use of Rotorua motels for emergency housing.

”It’s really concerning to hear from them is that the flow-on effect now, even as the number of motels are greatly reduced with emergency housing, there’s the perception and the reputational brand damage that that’s done to Rotorua.”

He said Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka as well as Rotorua MP Todd McClay were working with Rotorua Lakes Council with its end goal of having zero emergency housing motels.

“They’ve come a great way, but there’s still a lot more to do.”

This included work on wrap-around support for those in need.

Doocey, the first minister for mental health, said he understood the implications mental health issues could have on housing and employment.

Asked what needed to change to ensure quality visitor experiences in Rotorua, Doocey said feedback from local operators was that improving perception and promoting what the city had to offer were key.

“There is still quite a perception out there in New Zealand, if not internationally, that is affecting the number of visitors this area is receiving.

He said visitors needed to know Rotorua was “open for business”.

“Come to Rotorua and you will get a really quality experience. I’ve just been mountain biking in the Redwoods today – a beautiful facility I think is second to none.”

He said perceptions of issues and the actual issues both needed to be addressed as they go “hand in glove”.

“I think the perception is real but you’ve got to address that as well. When solutions are in place and issues have been addressed, we want people to come back.”

He said the tourism and hospitality sector was a “big part” of growing New Zealand’s economy.

He said he understood the pressures for operators in the sector as his father had been a hotel manager.

“It’s a 24/7 job, 365 days of the year.

“I’m here to be on the ground. I’ll do whatever you ask me as a tourism minister … how can I roll up my sleeves and get to work?”

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell and tourism and hospitality minister Matt Doocey after a ride in the Redwoods. Photo / Andrew Warner.

Tapsell, who stood for the National Party in the East Coast electorate before winning the Rotorua mayoralty, said she was stoked Doocey was game to jump on a bike.

She said their conversation focused on tourism and the importance of it as Rotorua’s biggest employer.

“We need to see continued support and investment into promoting us as a world-class destination.”

Asked if she felt Rotorua’s challenges would be heard, she said she was impressed Doocey had visited so soon and he had “showed a real willingness” to listen.

National vowed to end the use of motels for emergency housing on the election campaign trail.

Tapsell said she spoke with ministers Bishop and Potaka late last month and discussed the need for an action plan.

“I do genuinely get a sense of urgency from them to address these issues.”

The council would confirm its own plan and the outcomes it wanted in the next few weeks.

She said with a new Government there was a “great opportunity” to “refresh” the Rotorua Housing Accord, an agreement originally made between the Labour Government, the council and iwi at the end of 2022.

While she said there was “great progress” from it, there were still concerns to be addressed.

Details on this had not yet been discussed, but she said her most urgent concern was addressing any illegal tenancies in city accommodation providers and reducing emergency housing motels to zero.

“It is absolutely crucial we get this right.”

She said what it could do now was to invest and focus on promoting the city as “the great destination that it is”.

- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.