Bookings slow but moteliers confident

Don't despair if your friends haven't yet booked their Christmas or New Year holiday in the Bay - there are still options.
Many Western Bay moteliers are reporting a slow start to bookings, and say more and more sunseekers are leaving it until the last minute.
Tauranga Moteliers Association president and Bethlehem Motor Inn owner Lloyd Stone said there were still plenty of festive season vacancies.
"I'm not pinning my hopes on the gold-rush coming," he said. "We've been here five years and in the beginning we were getting wedding bookings two years in advance and festive bookings six to 12 months in advance.
"Now people tend to leave it to the last minute."
With the recession still biting and the rise in GST, many weren't as frivolous with their travel plans, Mr Stone believed.
The manager of the Westhaven Motel at Pilot Bay, Tracy Henare, said less disposable
income was the reason many of her guests had cancelled pre-booked rooms in the later half of January. "We have had a few cancellations, especially in January - people can't afford it."
On the other hand, one Hamilton family had opted to go to Hawaii this year instead of their usual Pilot Bay haunt.
Ms Henare said she would be ringing guests this month to confirm summer bookings.
All nine of their rooms are booked out to regulars from Christmas to the first week of January.
At Cameron Thermal Motel, owner Rein Van Spaalduinen said the rush was for just "a very short period".
At Boat Shed Motel Apartments in Mount Maunganui's Maranui St, owners Rae and Ken Whittle have had two cancellations Christmas Day but have just one vacancy left after Christmas Day.
hey book their rooms in five-day lots.
Mrs Whittle speculated that people were buying Christmas presents before deciding if they could afford to go away. Despite the downturn, moteliers would still get walk-ins off the beach, she said.
"It's going to be a good summer, that's what I think.
"And there's lots of Aussies around with the exchange rate being so good."
Gina Toner, manager of Beach House Motel on Papamoa Beach Rd, agreed. She said they were swamped with bookings for January and February.
"We're just about chocka. "think it's a busier year than last."
Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park manager Mark Hales said the camp was full apart from a few gaps in late January, and in February.
Bookings for New Year had been coming in since May.
Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Tim Burgess said the Bay would do fine over summer.
"The Mount, no question, it [as a summer destination] is what we're known for. It's our strength and always will be our strength."
"I'd like to think that overall the economy has improved, and I'd also like to say, 'Don't panic, it's only the fifth of November."'
Now that bookings can be made online and weather reports are more accurate, people leave holiday plans later, he said.