Reinventing Queenstown

Queenstown wasn't always a tourism town and has reinvented itself many times over the years.

So where to from here?

5 takeaways from the recent article published in Boardroom's latest magazine exploring new directions.

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1. The opportunity for diversification: Queenstown's reliance on tourism in 2021 stood at 60% of GDP with tech generating less than 2%.

2. While 2020 - 2022 were incredibly challenging years they prove the necessity of diversification. Other mountain towns around the world have done it, we can watch and learn from others.

3. There are already a number of organisations and businesses in the district playing a role. But there is no plan binding them together which is where there is an opportunity to leverage what already exists and create new.

4. The enablers have to be in place. Big handbrakes include: housing accessibility, energy infrastructure, transport. We don't want to inflate house prices further, be a drain on power supply or increase car density.

5. The goal is to do something for the community: "Overseas experience has been that the best way to get support from communities is to explain that if we're successful, their children will never have to leave town to get high-paid, world-class jobs, or they'll be able to come home to those opportunities after their OE"

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The clear message at the end of the article: Diversify and grow before another black swan event hits.

Queenstown, the community and the tourism economy will all reap the benefits.