Some accommodation providers in Tauranga are reporting full or nearly full bookings for Waitangi weekend. Photo / Getty Images
Some accommodation providers in Tauranga are reporting full or nearly full bookings for Waitangi weekend. Photo / Getty Images
Some accommodation providers in the Tauranga area are either full or nearly fully booked over Waitangi weekend despite the recent emergence of Omicron and the reintroduced red traffic light setting.
However, Hospitality NZ accommodation sector Bay of Plenty chairman Tony Bullot said there are motel bookings both in Rotorua andTauranga that were down by 70 per cent this weekend.
Bullot, who owns 850 Cameron Rd Motel in Tauranga, said moteliers who expected to be fully booked this weekend were "very quiet', including his own motel.
Last weekend was a disastrous weekend with lots of event cancellations, he said.
"Even if people are double vaccinated or triple vaccinated with the booster shot, some are too scared to travel in case they get caught in a Covid or Omicron lockdown.
"I get a feeling that people are not scared of the virus but they're scared of lockdowns. Having to self-isolate for 10 days will affect their business, jobs, and daily activities.
"So they're pseudo-self-isolating by not travelling and it has had a significant flow-on effect on accommodation providers along with the hospitality and tourism businesses."
Hospitality NZ Accommodation sector BOP chairman and 850 Cameron Rd Motel owner Tony Bullot. Photo / NZME
Bullot said the threat of a full-scale Omicron outbreak had prompted lots of people to cancel bookings and the weeks ahead were anxious times not just for moteliers.
"The loss of 70 per cent of our bookings means moteliers will be really struggling as we rely on this income to help get us through our normal quieter times of the year.
"However, the people I feel sorry for the most are all the restaurant/cafes owners, tourism operators and event organisers who have been really struggling for the past two years.
"They were just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel only to have the light turned off. These people will be really hurting. I think there will be a lot more business closures this year," Bullot said.
Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park manager Mark Hales said the park was almost fully booked.
"We've had a few cancellations over the past week but the phone still keeps ringing and we have had no trouble filling these vacancies."
Hales said of the 220 sites they still had a couple of on-site caravans free and only one of their cabins was also still available but expected a full house.
Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park manager Mark Hales. Photo / NZME
Hales said some people have cancelled because they were feeling a bit nervous about travelling or possibly an event they intended going to had been cancelled.
It had been a "fantastic summer" in terms of bookings and the weather and hopefully, that would continue throughout February and possibly early March.
However, it was still a nervous time for accommodation providers especially if the Omicron outbreak ramps up further as experts tell us it will, he said.
Hales said having a "no-vax, no stay" policy and ramping up their cleaning regime had definitely helped to retain bookings and secure new ones.
Mount Maunganui Cosy Corner Holiday Park's manager Greg Davidson said this weekend bookings were not shaping up to be as good as he had expected. Two-thirds of the park was full.
"We've had a few cancellations with some people saying they are not coming because they are a bit nervous about travelling or sporting events had been cancelled.
"Last weekend we were meant to be fully booked but it ended up being a disaster as we were not even half full mainly because of lots of event cancellations.
"Once our back to school guests leave, we are usually booked out with seniors wanting to have a quieter holiday, but that hasn't happened this Waitangi weekend."
Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Oscar Nathan said when major events were cancelled it created a negative flow-on effect for accommodation providers.
"Our forward-looking accommodation data shows there is still some demand for this coming Waitangi weekend, but significantly lower than was anticipated, suggesting Omicron is causing some hesitation to travel.
"Looking further ahead, however, there is a spike in demand for accommodation for the weekend of the rescheduled One Love festival on April 1 to 2.
"As Kiwis tend to book last minute, we expect bookings for Easter and the school holidays to increase as we get closer to the time."
Waitangi celebration
The Tauranga Moana Waitangi Day Dawn Service will be live-streamed on Sunday due to Covid-19 restrictions. The live stream will begin at 6.30am and feature karakia, hymns, guest speakers, waiata and kapa haka. The ceremony will conclude with a closing karakia about 7.50am. The live stream will be aired on the Tauranga City Council website.
