Coromandel businesses' brave new world

Rebecca Jenks said the business community were "looking forward to a summer with opportunity". Photo / Supplied

Coromandel tourist and hospitality businesses have awakened from the Covid-induced slumber to a world that presents great opportunities to brainstorm with like-minded operators with the common goal of getting the region humming financially this summer.

Hauraki District Council (HDC), in collaboration with Waihi i-SITE and Paeroa Information Hub, hosted an event for local providers at the Paeroa Historical Maritime Park on Monday, November 7, with a focus on collaborative opportunities.

Representatives from Tourism New Zealand, Destination Hauraki-Coromandel, regional business and Gr8Job Hauraki spoke about the upcoming summer tourist season.

Guest speakers included Destination Hauraki Coromandel's GM Hadley Dryden, Paul Yeo, industry relations manager from Tourism New Zealand, and HDC's iwi liaison officer Larn Wilkinson, who did the whakatau.

HDC's community development team works to encourage vibrant communities, and provide a positive landscape for sustainable development in the region.

Community development adviser (economic) Rebecca Jenks said businesspeople were "looking forward to a summer with opportunity".

Eddie Morrow from the Waihi Gold Discovery Centre and mine tours said the event was "a good opportunity to get people together before the summer gets under way". He said the post-Covid environment was "a challenge to prepare ourselves for what the new normal looks like".

Morrow said he was "excited to see our international visitors coming again".

"It'll be great to watch summer build and see what they're doing. There's a chance to do a really great job hosting those visitors, whether they be international or from somewhere else in New Zealand."

After the speakers, attendees were given the opportunity to meet and greet, discuss the upcoming season and talk about possible mutually-beneficial and customer-positive collaborations.

Job opportunities in the region were also highlighted. With a nationwide shortage of tourism and hospitality staff opportunities abound in the region.

Gr8 Job Hauraki runs under the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) programme and facilitates a scheme that matches young people under 25, not in current employment, with employers. The programme also undertakes other complementary initiatives such as entry-level training, wage-based incentives, and support for businesses looking to take on staff.

Gr8 Job Hauraki also offers support to all locals whose employment has been affected by Covid-19.

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