Zizi Sparks: Just because the world is opening, it doesn't mean we should leave NZ

Instead of jumping ship, consider travelling domestically. Photo / Getty Images

OPINION

Like many couples who have married during a global pandemic, my husband and I put off an overseas honeymoon. We even put off much of a domestic honeymoon as Omicron numbers remain high and it was hard to plan in advance.

Instead, we are looking at celebrating at some point in the future when and if things settle down a bit.

Australia, where I've never been, and the Queenstown area, where he's never been, are at the top of the list.

But even as New Zealand's borders progressively open, I'm leaning towards staying on home shores.

This week hospitality and tourism businesses in the Bay of Plenty said changes to Covid-19 restrictions may not make much of a difference to them.

From last Friday at 11.59pm New Zealanders were no longer required to use the Covid-19 contact tracing app to scan into places they visited.

Indoor gathering limits increased to 200 while outdoor gathering limits were removed altogether.

From April 4, vaccine passes are no longer required.

Bay Karts Outdoor Racing co-owner Lance Somervell told the Bay of Plenty Times business had been substantially quieter over the past two years.

Orca Wild Adventures and Dolphin Swims owner Mark Tucker said removing mandates wouldn't get tourism back up and running while one motel owner said even if Covid-19 was taken out of the equation the global economic headwinds were going to be hard to weather.

There are also fears the removal of vaccine passes could deter some people from dining out as they gave vulnerable people some assurances.

And the Tourism Export Council says the start of the high spending long-haul visitor (USA, Canada, UK, Europe, SE Asia, China) season is six months away, despite borders progressively opening.

Its chief executive Lynda Keene said Government help was still needed to get to the starting gate in October this year when the bulk of visitors will return for summer.

Whatever way you look at it, the Covid-19 storm is not over and businesses are still struggling. They need our continued support.

In the months after Covid first hit, there was a big push to support local businesses. I believe it's time to resume that push.

There is never a better time than now to support local.

Instead of booking a seat on a flight to New York in September, Tahiti in May or jetting to Australia, we should be looking at ways to keep supporting local businesses who are still doing it tough.

In my case, it means exploring the South Island for a honeymoon in the future, going to Northland at Easter and patronising bars and restaurants in the Bay of Plenty.

As New Zealand opens up to the world, we still need to think about putting our money back into our own businesses, not jumping ship.