Tourism

ABC: Ann Jones

As tourists in their caravans head inland and into northern Australia after the heat of summer, a lack of amenities at rest areas prompts criticism.

The problem equally riles some who head south.

“As soon as you cross the border from the Northern Territory into South Australia the availability of toilets doesn’t just diminish, it vanishes,” said Michael, a Northern Territory traveller.

“As a result, every rest area on the Stuart Highway is littered with toilet paper and other debris, which is not nice.

“Let’s face it, when people have got to go, they have to go.”

We have the same problem here of course.  Don’t ever step more than 1 meter into the bushes at a rest stop unless you want to see what a tourist initiated toilet facility looks like.

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People are soft these days, but to be expected when you have cabinet ministers who drive gay utes:

The great Kiwi camping holiday seems to be dropping out of favour, with few people willing to rough it in the wild without some modern comforts.

Almost six out of 10 people told a Herald-DigiPoll summer survey that they wanted some comfort when camping – and nearly 15 per cent admitted they would like as many modern conveniences as possible.

Less than a quarter said they like to rough it.

The Holiday Parks Association says the changing demands of Kiwi campers are forcing many holiday parks to reduce tent sites and build more cabins and chalets with modern conveniences.

Chief executive Fergus Brown said it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing as it meant camping was appealing to a wider group of Kiwis.

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Cry babies: Ming Xi and the City Mission tourists 

researching.wordpress.com

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Government relations consultant Mark Unsworth has taken exception to Massey University’s environmental scientist Dr Mike Joy wading into the “100% Pure” debate waging around the New York Times article earlier this week.

Unsworth wrote in an email to Joy:

 ”You guys are the foot and mouth disease of the tourism industry. Most ordinary people in NZ would happily have you lot locked up,” he wrote.

“You may not care given your tenure in a nice comfy university lounge, but to others this affects income and jobs.

 ”Give that some thought next time you feel the need to see your name in print in New York. And possibly think of changing your name from Joy to Misery – its more accurate [sic].”

Danyl at Dimpost puts things in perspective:

Okay. So we’re spending money to promote tourism. At $10,000 you only need to persuade one or two additional families to visit New Zealand and you’ve recovered your costs.

Yep, precisely, Looks like another H-Fee own goal feed to the media by Labour.

Tourists visiting Venice are to be hit with a hotel tax from next month, as the Italian city tries to earn money to “save the city” from rising sea levels.

Visitors staying in five-star hotels will see 4.50 euros (£4) added to their bill from Aug 24, while those staying in less luxurious accommodation will pay according to a sliding scale of fees as the city edges closer to the long-vaunted idea of an entrance fee.

Venice council hopes the tax will raise millions of pounds for the urgent maintenance of the city, which is slowly sinking into the mud and is threatened by rising sea levels and more frequent winter storms.

“The fundamental objective is to secure from tourists who visit and love Venice a contribution to sustain a city that is unique, extremely precious but also extremely fragile,” said Sandro Simionato, the deputy mayor.

Venice risks being swamped by tourists – the city’s population recently dipped beneath 60,000 and it is invaded by the same number of tourists each day.

Yep I can really see Len Brown doing this, levying tourists to pay for the train set. It is certainly better than levying ratepayers on his train folly.

On Facebook there is a discussion between Pearl Going’s Blackberry and Pearl….very hilarious…it is all presented on screen shots of a Blackberry.

I have had an update on the situation with Kaimata as well.

It seems Pearl Going and/or her alter ego Julie Malcolm have tried to lay a complaint with Qualmark.

Pearl Going/Julie Malcolm called last Thursday to lay the complaint. The person at Qualmark advised to put it in writing.

Over the weekend he saw the Motella blog.

Pearl…or was it Julie… then called him again today to follow up on the complaint.

He recognised the voice called her out as Julie – well you know where this was all going.

Suffice to say they have binned the file.

Pearl needs to learn NFWAB.

The shareholders of Pumpkin Patch and the Management have realised the problem that is Greg Muir.

Greg Muir will step down as chairman of Pumpkin Patch saying his presence has become a distraction.

Muir’s previous stewardship of Hanover Finance has led to questions over his fitness to chair the children’s clothing chain.

Muir was chairman of Hanover Group from December 2005 to October 2008, meaning he was there when the group froze $554 million of investors’ funds in 2008.

Devon Asset Management principle Paul Glass and Brian Gaynor, a director of Milford Asset Management, both said this week they would not support Muir’s re-election as a director because of his role at Hanover.

If the shareholders of Pumpkin Patch can see the problem then why can’t John Key. Greg Muir is the Chair of Tourism New Zealand, a position essentially appointed by the Minister of Torurism.

That means that Greg Muir is in charge of New Zealand’s biggest export earner, bigger even than dairy.

New Zealand’s adventure activities, unique culture and stunning, diverse natural landscapes attract approximately 2.3 million people each year. Tourism is now New Zealand’s biggest export earner, generating an estimated NZ$6.3 billion in foreign exchange annually

If the shareholders of Pumpkin Patch think Greg Muir is a distraction then why doesn’t the Prime Minister? Can we really risk Tourism New Zealand in the hands of Greg Muir?

I have two freaky stories for you. The first comes from the US and is well worth the read through 4 pages. It involves a 22 year old gun-runner who has masterminded an international gun-running business gaining multi-million dollar contracts to supply arms and ammunition to Afghanistan amongst other places. Lord of War this isn’t but it is an amusing tale of how entrepreneurial spirit can take you places, like jail.

It seems that officials were alerted to his company after some quality control complaints about dodgy ammo.

The second story is highly amusing and comes from Australia. It involves Holdens, drugs, masturbation and speeding.

A TERRITORY man filmed himself speeding at 150km/h while masturbating at the wheel of his drug-laden car, a court heard.
His Holden SV6 was allegedly laden with 5kg of drugs, including two cannabis plants resting on the back seat, the court was told.

Brendon Alan Erhardt, 39, was granted bail so he could marry his girlfriend of six months.

Apparently the drugs were for his personal consumption or as the Crown alleges worth $136,000 if sold by the gram in Darwin — or double that in indigenous communities. Hmmm….speeding, wanking and drugs for personal use, sounds plausible.

Driving to the office this morning I heard an ad for a new car. I thought couldn't be, so listened a little closer and then shock, horror discover it was indeed so.

Holden is marketing it new car as the Viva . Now having actually owned and driven one of the poxy heaps of shit formerly known as a Vauxhall Viva I beleive this car is doomed.