Local Focus: Covid 19 alert level 2 impacts Rotorua fashion event

The move to Covid-19 alert level 2 means the potential postponement of the Chinese Fashion Show Rotorua this weekend, which would have marked the Chinese New Year.

"We've been planning this event for a long time now," fashion designer Kharl WiRepa said.

"There have been a lot of local people that have put a lot of work into it. There's been a lot of investment from businesses here in Te Arawa, and also Chinese communities in New Zealand had a lot to do with the organising of this kaupapa."

WiRepa says receiving the news about the lockdown was disheartening for stakeholders, partners and event organisers, especially those who were expecting to travel from Auckland for the event.

"With the outbreak in Auckland, a lot of our entertainers and our guests were coming from [outside] of Rotorua to help generate domestic tourism."

WiRepa says hoteliers and Māori businesses have also been impacted.

"It doesn't just affect the event organisers, it affects the businesses, the partners, the investors and the audiences.

"Here in Rotorua we have over 2000 Chinese people living in our town. And Chinese people have been badly affected by Covid here in New Zealand.

"They inject billions of dollars into the Māori economy," he said. "So for us to not celebrate Chinese New Year as we normally would has been really disappointing."

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