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Rotorua retailers will finally get the chance to open this Easter Sunday - although not all are planning to.
For the first time, local retailers will have the chance to trade on Easter Sunday after Rotorua Lakes Council passed its Easter Shop Trading Policy, the first region in New Zealand to take advantage of the law changes.
The changes do not apply to Good Friday.
Retailers like Dean Katipa they have been agitating for change for years.
Mr Katipa, the manager of Rotorua's Stirling Sports, said he was looking forward to finally having the opportunity to trade.
"If people come away, Saturday and Sunday are the most likely days they will shop.
"Everyone should be open."
Mr Katipa said he believed trading would be weather dependent - bad weather encouraged people to head to town for retail therapy.
McLeods Booksellers manager Jemma Pirrie said they planned to open on Sunday.
She said it was about making the most of the opportunity, and shops had been waiting for some time to open.
"It's hard to know whether it will be busy. It is the start of the school holidays and there will be people coming from Auckland for Easter."
Inner City Focus Group spokesman Mike Steiner said while some retailers would open he believed next Easter would be bigger in terms of retail trade.
"There are mixed feelings. I think there will be a few that will try it this Easter."
He said his store, Steiners, Interiors by Reputation, would not open on Sunday because of prior commitments.
"Also, a lot are owner-operators and sometimes Easter is a welcome break for them."
Changes allowing shops to open would be a "game changer" in the long run, he said.
Rotorua Chamber of Commerce interim chief executive Allison Lawton said that retailers faced some uncertainty, especially around employees.
"It's more of a wait and see. This is our first time we have had Easter trading."
She said it was really important visitors to the city over Easter got to experience the whole Rotorua offering, and that included shopping.
"The city should be booming. Historically, from a tourism point of view, school holidays has always been big."
i-Site and Visitor Centre general manager Graham Brownrigg said Easter had always been a busy time and forward bookings this Easter were looking strong.
"Rotorua is fortunate to have a plethora of both wet and dry weather activities.
"As a true all-weather destination we hope that a little rain does not discourage visitors this Easter, but rather incentivises them to come enjoy a soak in a hot pool, a walk under the lush forest canopy or to enjoy a shopping experience."
Mr Brownrigg said it was difficult to predict whether Easter falling in the school holidays would impact on visitor numbers.
"However, with Anzac Day the following Tuesday parents need only take five days leave to allow for a 12-day break. We hope a lot of families take advantage of this and visit Rotorua for an extended holiday over this period."
He said it was "certainly positive" that retailers could chose to open this Easter Sunday.
"Not only will this benefit our local business community, it also enables our visitors to come and enjoy the full Rotorua experience."