Kate Hawkesby: We're still too complacent when it comes to fixing the tourism sector

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge · Oct 10, 2022 · 2m

My daughter’s in Queenstown with a friend and her family at the moment, and she's been snapchatting me pictures of all the shop and cafe windows, with all the 'STAFF WANTED' signs everywhere.

I haven't forgotten about the plight of Queenstown, because we still hear regularly from many business owners down there, still exasperated.

And many of the visitors who return from there have tales to tell. All the same tale sadly.

That it’s a gut-wrenching time of heartbroken owner operators struggling to get by with no staff.

For many who are repeat visitors or bach owners there, it’s sadness at…