Another industry is in dire straits due to the Tourism Minister’s apparent lack of understanding and engagement with the rental vehicle tourism sector, says one campervan and motorhome rental business.
The extended border closure, and now lockdown is really starting to take its toll on successful New Zealand owned and operated small to medium-sized businesses.
Wendekreisen is such a business. A family-owned campervan and motorhome rental, manufacturing, sales and servicing company, Wendekreisen has a 30-year history in Aotearoa. They have branches in both Auckland and Christchurch. Now with severely reduced income for over a year and a half and little sign of respite for 2021/22, financial resources are extremely stretched.
Founded in 1990, their success has been attributed to an innovative and sustainable approach that balances the interests of their customers, staff, suppliers, and the natural environment. The company has provided jobs and apprenticeships for generations of New Zealanders – from mechanics to panel beaters and sales staff.
"Rental vehicle operators like Wendekreisen have been left high and dry by Minister Nash," says Rental Vehicle Association CEO Ben McFadgen.
Wendekreisen managing director, Sascha Warnken says: "The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the entire industry into a pressure cooker state, stretching resources much further than ever before.
"With international tourism non-existent and domestic tourism in fear and uncertainty, demand is in short supply. Wendekreisen is doing everything it can to remain afloat. We have been selling stock, diversified our products and services and have tapped heavily into family reserves.
"However, due to substantial costs to operate the organisation, the situation is becoming increasingly difficult. The rental vehicle tourism sector is bleeding and requires targeted financial assistance from government as soon as possible."
It is especially galling when they look at other sectors that have received substantial support from the government, such as destination tour operators.
If things don’t change, they have about six months left before they must make some very hard decisions. They have been trying to work with government, including making submissions on safely utilising campervans for self-isolation. All have fallen on deaf ears.
This is a very successful company with a high-quality product. A New Zealand company. And just one company among many facing the same situation. Like other high-end campervan operators, they have been fundamental to Aotearoa/New Zealand’s tourism success with high value tourists.
They are part of a resilient and increasingly more sustainable tourist infrastructure. One that New Zealand can ill afford to lose. All they want is a hand-up not a hand-out: Specifically targeted assistance that will relieve the financial pressure and enable them to prepare for New Zealand’s re-entry into the tourism market.
