Tourism New Zealand has launched a gifting scheme to support domestic operators, some of who in a traditional Labour Weekend hotspot are pleading Kiwis to visit as Aucklanders and many in the Waikato are stuck at home.
Tourism NZ has signed up 300 operators ranging from breweries to helicopter experiences for the scheme where customers buy now and then give the voucher to somebody to use when they can.
It is aimed at supporting struggling operators to bank money now while the lockdown in much of the north deprives them of a key customer base.
Before the latest border failure in August led to the Delta outbreak, domestic tourism was on a roll with Air New Zealand reporting its best July school holidays on its internal network.
Separately some leading tourism operators in Rotorua are calling on those Kiwis who can visit local tourism operators this Labour Weekend to do so. Labour Weekend is traditionally an important time for tourism operators, signalling a return to the busier summer months.
This year, with Auckland and big parts of the Waikato in level 3, it is setting up to be a challenging weekend for tourism operators, particularly in the upper North Island, with strict travel restrictions in place.
Chief executive of Polynesian Spa, Gert Taljaard, said in October Rotorua typically gets 45,000 attraction visits from Aucklanders and those in the Waikato region.
''This October, it's close to zero. The loss of these markets has created an uphill battle, but we're seeing the rest of New Zealand rallying to support the tourism industry," he said.
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Advertise with NZME."The people of New Zealand have been amazing at doing what they can to support tourism since Covid-19 hit and I'd just really encourage fellow Kiwis to get out and to support their local tourism operators and hospitality venues this weekend."
Operators were struggling but were adapting.
''Showing the tourism and hospitality industries support in our time of need will go a long way to ensure we can continue entertaining Kiwis – and hopefully tourists – in the near future," said Taljaard.
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Paul Button, General Manager of Rotorua Canopy Tours said Labour weekend has always been an important holiday for tourism providers across the motu, "but this year it's not just important, it's vital."
The complications caused by Covid-19 had slowed down business but operators were all itching and fully prepared for the weekend.
"We are really feeling for those stuck in lockdown across Tāmaki Makaurau and Waikato, we can't wait to welcome them back when restrictions ease," he said.
Typically, Aucklanders make up 33 per cent of Canopy Tours' business, and the Waikato another 16 per cent and their absence has been sorely felt during this current lockdown.
"That said, it's encouraging to see other regions supporting local and helping pick up slack."
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Advertise with NZME.During the 2020 school holidays, visitors from the Bay of Plenty made up just 12.7 per cent of Canopy's market. The school holidays just passed; the Bay of Plenty was home to 31 per cent of our total visitors.
Wellingtonians have also shown their support, making up 15 per cent of visitations during this time.
Bjoern Spreitzer was appointed general manager of a team at Tourism New Zealand to restart domestic tourism and said willingness to travel within the country remained strong.
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Research just prior to the latest lockdown showed 71 per cent of Kiwis planned a domestic holiday in the next year. They have been travelling domestically in force since June of last year and TNZ says research showed 96 per cent of them rated their holiday experience good or excellent.
He said high volumes of traffic to newzealand.com where the gifting hub is hosted would provide industry with another opportunity to reach the domestic market.
The gifting scheme had longevity beyond Christmas too, creating more value for industry through the year during other milestones such as Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and birthdays.
Spreitzer said nobody takes a commission with the entire value of the voucher going directly to the operator.
