From the chief executive: Rotorua Airport's Mark Gibb answers key questions about business and our economic future

Rotorua Airport chief executive Mark Gibb. Photo / File

The economic effects of Covid-19 and New Zealand's subsequent nationwide lockdown have been felt far and wide by our business community. Journalist Stephanie Arthur-Worsop asks Rotorua Airport chief executive Mark Gibb to reflect on his company's survival and what he thinks needs to be done to help the local economy bounce back.

How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected your company?

A significant impact on passenger movements at our peak season through March to May 2020. Typically we would facilitate around 72,000 passengers over this period, our throughput over Covid was around 20 per cent of this total.

The lockdown restrictions also directly impacted a number of other businesses operating from the airport such as rental car operators and food and beverage operators, who also suffered a significant reduction in turnover.

What are you doing to ensure the company survives the pandemic and/or thrives after it?

We have implemented a number of initiatives to reactivate air travel with a number of commercial and tourism businesses within Rotorua.

We are also looking to progress development applications with Crown Infrastructure Partners to broaden our income base and develop our landholdings.

Gibb says tourism revitalisation will be vital to securing the local economy post-Covid. Photo / Supplied

What are the benefits and challenges of running a business in the Bay of Plenty?

Rotorua was the birthplace of tourism in New Zealand. It has a world-class tourism offering catering to both domestic and international tourism. The early reactivation of this market is essential to the recovery of Rotorua and the broader Bay of Plenty region.

What do you believe should happen to revitalise and rebuild the local/regional economy?

Businesses within the tourism sector need to present innovative product offerings to stimulate inter-regional domestic travel.

In moving to alert level 1, the implementation of a transtasman bubble will further drive demand, representing potentially $3 billion in revenue generated by Australians travelling to New Zealand.

The Government's continued support of small and medium-sized enterprises is critical to ensure we can respond to the opportunities recovery will present to our regional economy.