Thames to Coromandel Community Noticeboard & Grapevine
“Sorry I got to say this… Here goes. Regarding the Tourist Industry, they come to us cap-in-hand now wanting our support. They want us to travel and visit New Zealand tourist sites. What a pity they’ve spent the last 20 years selling overpriced attractions to foreigners.
Hobbiton $89, Te Puia Springs $76, Rainbow Springs $80, Waitomo Caves $64, signs and souvenirs priced and signed in foreign currency/language. Domestic airfares dearer than flying to Australia, train fares dearer than just about anywhere in the world, motels at twice the price for comparable ones in the UK.
As for the fallacy that New Zealand owns its tourism industry, a quick walk through the Duty-free section at Auckland Airport should set you straight on this.
Nope, it’s too expensive. You have ignored the local tourists for years now. I’m sorry but, unless you give me a deal such as a permanent big discount for New Zealand residents, you won’t be seeing me.
Regarding the call from local suppliers to buy local. I bought a can of tomatoes yesterday, from Pak N Save for 69 cents imported from Italy! Kiwi ones cost $2.10.
Treat us fairly producers and maybe you will have our support. New Zealand mutton is cheaper in the UK than here. New Zealand timber is cheaper in Australia than here. New Zealand wine is cheaper in the UK than here.
You pay $4 for an avocado grown in Katikati and the same for a cauli grown in Pukekohe. That is ridiculous. For so long we have been price-gouged here in New Zealand by our own suppliers and we have grown to accept it. Now that the all-important ‘export market’ has dried up, guess what? All of a sudden we are indispensable and called on for help. Sorry, but I am still going to purchase whatever is the best value. If local producers want my support then they need to be competitive and stop chasing that all-important export dollar at my expense. Just saying.
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