Air New Zealand will operate a lot more flights in and out of Napier once the Auckland border lifts. Photo / Warren Buckland
Air New Zealand will operate a lot more flights in and out of Napier once the Auckland border lifts. Photo / Warren Buckland
Flights in and out of Napier are set to almost double and businesses are hoping to see "a significant boost to end a tough year" as Auckland travellers visit the region for the first time in four months.
An exodus of holidaymakers from Auckland begins on Wednesday as travellers arepermitted to leave the City of Sails for the first time since August.
The rule change means double vaccinated travellers or those who have a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours are permitted to go beyond the city's border in time for Christmas.
That includes plenty of family members who have been unable to see loved ones while stuck in lockdown in Auckland, which has been the source of most of the nation's Covid cases since Delta arrived in New Zealand.
Hawke's Bay Airport interim CEO Stephanie Murphy said the airport was expecting flights to almost double and the first flight from Auckland was expected at 9.25am.
"It's been a hard year for those separated by the regional boundaries, and I know there will be a lot of families happy to be reunited," she said.
"The flight schedule nearly doubles from [Wednesday] onwards as we welcome Auckland flights back in their full capacity for the first time since August.
"We expect to see a further uplift in flights from Auckland and other regions as we head into the Hawke's Bay events season in February and March."
Hawke's Bay Airport will be welcoming a big jump in flights from Wednesday. Photo / Warren Buckland
She said people will not be required to have a vaccine pass to enter the airport but, at Orange, masks must be worn throughout the terminal. Airlines have further rules for flights.
Hawke's Bay businesses are hoping to cash in on the influx of travellers over the summer holiday period.
Napier Beach Top 10 Holiday Park and Snapper Cafe owner Gene Cooper said it would be good for business.
"As a region we are not self-sufficient so we are reliant on one and a half million Kiwis living in Auckland."
He said he did not know the exact number of clients from Auckland booked in to stay at the holiday park in the coming weeks, but said it would be about 30 per cent of bookings.
He said because they operated a cafe on the venue they were under the My Vaccine Pass scheme and were a "no jab, no stay" venue.
Cooper said it had been a difficult period to be a business owner, particularly enforcing Government mandates and restrictions.
Abbey Winery and Brewery, near Hastings, manager Dermot Haworth said he expected the increase in travellers to result in larger bookings over the weekends like they regularly saw before the most recent lockdowns.
"It should be good for business because you have a lot of locals going away to Taupo and Mahia and other parts of the country and you need a replacement for them," he said.
"You tend to get the bigger groups when the families come down from Auckland ... so you can get the full 15 or 20 people groups."
He said the move to welcome Aucklanders to the region did come with a risk of more Covid infections, so locals may become more nervous about going out.
Te Mata Figs Cafe and Shop, in Havelock North, co-owner Murray Douglas said they had coped quite well in recent months.
Murray Douglas from Te Mata Figs. Photo / Warren Buckland
"We have been fortunate to have a lot of good local support and obviously people from elsewhere around the lower North Island, so to some extent we have not even noticed the lack of Aucklanders."
However, he said previously Auckland travellers made up a substantial part of their business, and they would happily welcome them back.
"What has happened with the lockdown is the online store has gone mad with respect to Auckland."
Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce CEO Karla Lee said retail businesses would welcome more visitors.
"The economic impact of allowing visitors from our most substantial tourism market will be a significant boost to end a tough year," she said.
"The impact of strong end of year sales may not be enough to cancel out over three months of reduced trade, but it will likely be the lift many businesses need to start next year afresh."
Hawke's Bay Tourism CEO Hamish Saxton said Auckland was the biggest market of out-of-region visitors, slightly ahead of Wellington.
"The return of Auckland visitors, following guidelines and regulations, coupled with a hopefully busy and thriving holiday season with visitors from all around Aotearoa, couldn't be more timely."
Testing sites for the region.
Covid-19 testing sites in Hawke's Bay
No booking required:
Napier: Pukemokimoki Marae drive-through on Riverbend Rd (10am to 1pm, Monday to Friday)
Flaxmere: Totara Health Flaxmere drive-through on Chatham Rd (10am to noon, Monday to Friday)
Hastings: Splash Planet drive-through on Grove Rd (10am to 1pm, Monday to Friday)
Waipukurau: Central Hawke's Bay Health Centre drive-through on Cook St (9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday)
By appointment:
The Doctors Napier on Munroe St call 0800 TEST19 (9am to 5pm daily)
Hastings Health Centre on St Aubyn St West call 06 281 2644 (8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)
The Doctors Hastings on Russell St South call 06 876 8445 (1.30pm to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday)
Wairoa: Queen Street Practice on Kitchener St call 06 838 8333 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)
For travellers only:
Some pharmacies will begin rapid antigen tests (RAT) from Wednesday.
The tests are only for unvaccinated travellers aged over 12 years and 3 months who have no symptoms.
You can check which pharmacies are taking part at healthpoint.co.nz.
