New promotion 'Love your Local' announced to replace Top Shop this year

The Taranaki Chamber of Commerce. Photo/ Google.

The Taranaki Chamber of Commerce and WITT have announced a new promotion for businesses that will run instead of the annual WITT Top Shop Awards for 2020.

WITT Love Your Local will encourage the public to vote for the Taranaki businesses they love as many times as they want.

Chamber chief executive Arun Chaudhari says the WITT Love Your Local was an excellent alternative to WITT Top Shop, which could not be held this year because of Covid-19.

"WITT Love Your Local aligns very well with the Taranaki wide campaigns that have been running to support local businesses. WITT Top Shop will resume next year."

WITT chief executive John Snook says it was great to be working with the chamber to make WITT Love Your Local happen.

"WITT is committed to supporting our people and our region. We think rewarding the local businesses that are loved by our community is a fantastic way to get behind them."

With the drive to go local at this time, WITT Love Your Local is an easy way for the province to show its support.

Anyone who votes will also be in the draw to win one of 10 $100 gift cards from a local business of their choice.

■ Online voting at loveyourlocal.kiwi will open on Monday the June 8 and the 20 businesses with the most votes will receive a free stand-alone course from WITT and a cash prize.

WITT will also offer a discount on stand-alone course fees for all businesses that receive votes.