Auckland pubs are back in business with midnight openings as NZ enters the traffic light system. Video / NZ Herald
Tourism operators fear that if Rotorua doesn't hit orange in the new traffic light system before Christmas they will be "throttled" and unable to cash in on the lucrative summer season.
Traditionally the period between Boxing Day and the end of January generates about one third of the industry's revenuefor the whole year.
Today the sector is adjusting to new mandates under the red light traffic system.
Some owners voiced concerns while others had beefed up security for the rollout.
Skyline Skyrides general manager Andrew Jensen said there would be security "in the background" so staff who were checking vaccine passes were not vulnerable to anyone who may "cause an issue".
Jensen said there would be posters in the queueing system before guests entered the building and a sign in the roundabout warning visitors as they drove in about the vaccine certificate requirement.
Rotorua Treewalk director Bruce Thomasen. Photo / NZME
Rotorua Treewalk director Bruce Thomasen said only vaccinated guests could do the treewalk and staff would be checking vaccine passes, he said.
The business had updated its signs in preparation for the traffic light system, and it would continue to use the track-and-trace system and manually record all guests as part of the check-in process, he said.
"Our system has always been about keeping our staff and visitors as safe as possible."
Thomasen said his "biggest wish" was Rotorua getting to the orange traffic light setting before Christmas.
"These five weeks over summer are critical for our yearly success. We put hay in the barn over the summer holidays so we can cope with what's about to come over autumn [and] winter."
He hoped that vaccination numbers would rise and that visitors could feel safe knowing that staff and other guests were vaccinated.
"Please feel safe, we want the visitors here and we're looking forward to hosting them."
Rotorua Canopy Tours staff members Martin Gatens and Sean Grant are ready for day one of the traffic light system. Photo / Supplied
Rotorua Canopy Tours general manager Paul Button said clients would receive a "heads up" about the vaccine requirement prior to arrival and on the confirmation email.
"Operationally, it will slow things down a little bit but it shouldn't be too hard to take up."
The company had received "a ton of calls" in the past two weeks from group bookings asking about unvaccinated clients, which had been "hard work" and "emotionally draining".
Although the health and safety of the country was "first and foremost", Button was also concerned about the red traffic light system limiting the market.
"It limits our ability to grow revenue and it creates frustration in the community and then also you can feel the divisiveness via the phone calls."
He said green was "ideal" to have the country flowing freely with no restrictions.
Rotorua Canopy Tours general manager Paul Button. Photo / Supplied
Rainbow Springs Nature Park and Agrodome would also require proof of vaccination, as Ngāi Tahu Tourism announced yesterday that all visitors to its attractions would need to have a vaccine certificate.
Ngāi Tahu Tourism takes its health and safety obligations to all kaimahi, manuhiri, whānau and communities very seriously, it said.
General manager of corporate services Jo Allison said it was a social and corporate responsibility to support vaccinations in the interest of the public good.
"We know vaccination is the most effective way of minimising spread of the virus and keeping people well."
The Agrodome website states it will reopen on December 16, and will be operating five days a week from Thursday to Monday.
Pig and Whistle Historic Pub and Capers Epicurean owner Gregg Brown. Photo / Andrew Warner
Pig and Whistle Historic Pub and Capers Epicurean owner Gregg Brown said preparation for the traffic light system had been "all-consuming", because of working through processes with unvaccinated staff and those who were sitting on the fence.
"But I think we've got to a good place - we're going to follow all the rules and be open."
Brown said it had been "so quiet" without tourists, so vaccinated staff were "really keen" to get more hours.
"We've done our best to serve an influx and hopefully we get it."
Although there had been an "underlying level of anxiety" for everyone, he was comfortable his restaurants would operate "fairly normally" if people co-operated.
The restaurants would be checking passes at the "meeting and greeting" phase at the front door.
Two new cases of Covid-19 were announced yesterday in the Lakes District Health Board region, both in Rotorua.
Ministry of Health data showed as of December 1, 89 per cent of the eligible Lakes population had received one vaccine dose, and 80 per cent were fully vaccinated.
Only 1163 doses were required to hit the 90 per cent first dose mark.
