The Duke of Marlborough co-owners Riki Kinnaird and Anton Haagh are encouraging visitors to relax, with a free McLeods beer for anyone staying at The Duke who has been stress out by the Brynderwyns closure.
The Duke of Marlborough co-owners Riki Kinnaird and Anton Haagh are encouraging visitors to relax, with a free McLeods beer for anyone staying at The Duke who has been stress out by the Brynderwyns closure.
Northlanders are pulling out all the stops to let visitors know the north is open for businesses, even if the state highway is not.
The Duke of Marlborough co-owner Riki Kinnaird said while his hotel is buoyed by weddings and other functions, other businesses around the Bay of Islands are struggling.
“I’m hearing on the ground, from March onwards, other people’s booking are low ... March onwards is looking really light when it should be full.”
Kinnaird believed the high cost of living is having an impact, along with the Brynderwyns closure - with many people mistakenly believing the highway is already closed.
The closure shouldn’t have a major impact on travellers, with some of the detour time being made up with savings on the new Pūhoi-to-Warkworth motorway, he said.
Kinnaird is offering any visitor stressed out by the Brynderwyns closure a free McLeods beer if they stay at the Duke, as well as the chance to enjoy the great weather typically enjoyed by Northlanders at this time of year.
“Our message is: We’re open, it’s wonderful weather, the golf is great, the dolphins are jumping around, it’s the same distance and time to get here as it was a year ago - come and enjoy it.”
As long as the fine weather continues, Nick Blake from Whangārei Top 10 Holiday Park is not expecting a drop in bookings from SH1 closing at the Brynderwyns. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Northland Inc is spreading a similar message in a multi-channel marketing campaign, running alongside NZTA Waka Kotahi’s journey messages.
The “It’s Northland Time” campaign kicked off with social media and Google advertising on February 14, encouraging visitors to take the scenic route and explore the region’s beauty at their own pace.
The digital advertising will be backed by 42 digital billboards nationwide from February 19, radio campaigns in Auckland and Waikato from February 20, and a TVNZ Breakfast showcase on February 27.
Promotion of the alternate routes and the preparation work that has already been done on them is important, said Andy Larsen from Bay of Islands Lodge in Paihia.
“There would be nothing worse than for people to say, ‘it’s too hard to get to Northland, let’s go to the Coromandel’,” he said.
“No one wants to see the road closed but it’s got to be done. It will impact the business but that’s the price we’ve got to pay for having the road up and running.”
The Bay of Islands Lodge has good international bookings through March and April - with these visitors either unaware or unworried about the Brynderwyn closure.
Domestic visitors typically wait to see what the weather is doing, so continued sunshine will help, Larsen said.
“It does make such a difference when people come away and the weather’s nice.”
The lodge also has strong bookings for Easter, which is typically a very busy time for Kiwi travellers and Larsen is pleased the highway will open for this long weekend.
“Aucklanders get bogged up with traffic all the time, the last thing they want to do is go away on holiday and get bogged up.”
Highway closure ‘tiny impact’ for extended summer holidays
One Northland accommodation business - Whangārei Top 10 Holiday Park - is not expecting to feel very much impact from the Brynderwyn closure.
Owner Nick Blake said the holiday park is just getting busier and busier, with both international and domestic tourists pushing the business’ summer takings up 27 per cent on last year.
“I definitely think the Hundertwasser Art Centre is a drawcard in Whangārei - we’re definitely getting a lot of people staying with us going to visit the Hundertwasser.”
While the highway closure might have a small impact on bookings, it is unlikely to have as much impact as poor weather, which created a “terrible” season last year, Blake said.
“The Brynderwyns will be just a blip on the radar because you can still get to and from Auckland, it’s just a detour. If it’s not done now, it’s going to be worse in the future.”
The ongoing Northland sunshine and investments done in the holiday park during Covid lockdowns are starting to pay off for the business, which has almost returned to pre-Covid levels, Blake said.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
