Paihia wharf was busy with holiday-makers yesterday. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Paihia wharf was busy with holiday-makers yesterday. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Campgrounds are packed and shopping streets are pumping in Paihia, defying predictions that Aucklanders would stay away in droves due to checkpoint fears and Northland's red traffic light status.
The influx of holidaymakers is boosting the bottom line for some businesses but others fear it won't last long enough toget them through the quiet winter months.
Bay of Islands Holiday Park, on State Highway 11 near Haruru, is fully booked with more than 600 guests.
Manager Ray Hosking said he was ''pretty rapt''.
The cabins were fully booked until January 10 and tent sites to January 4 with numbers up by about 200 on last year.
Most guests were from Auckland with many leaving home at 5am due to misplaced concerns about checkpoints.
''A lot of people were worried about roadblocks and traffic problems but they basically never happened. They've been coming through no problem. They're pretty pleased to get here and start sucking up the sun.''
This year is the first time in more than two decades the campground has been open to the public during the New Year break.
In the past it hosted a three-day youth event but new owners wanted a more family-friendly focus.
Hosking said he was ''quite confident'' about the summer though it was not yet clear what Waitangi Day, normally a busy time at the holiday park, would bring.
Guests were abiding by the Covid rules which required everyone to be double vaxxed.
''We've had a few disgruntled emails but the families are happy because the rules made them feel safe,'' he said.
Teji Singh, left, and Gaurav Trehan from Auckland whip up a holiday breakfast at Bay of Islands Holiday Park. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Teji Singh, a banker from Auckland, is staying five nights at the campground with friends and family.
Although concerned about checkpoints the group of nine came up anyway and had no problems.
''We have Covid passes so we were prepared,'' he said.
Singh said he had visited Northland before but had never been to the giant dunes at Te Paki so that was at the top of his list. Visiting Paihia, Ninety Mile Beach and driving to Cape Reinga were also on their itinerary.
Tenting nearby was Marcio Xavier with a group of 30 Brazilians based in Auckland.
They had chosen the Bay of Islands for its beauty and nature, he said.
''We can't see family back home so we are making our own family here. We are going to the beach, playing volleyball and football, and making music and singing all the time.''
Williams Rd in Paihia was crowded with shoppers yesterday. Photo / Peter de Graaf
In Paihia many motels are displaying "no vacancy" signs and parking is hard to find — normally a source of irritation to locals but now a welcome sign of normality.
The benefits aren't evenly spread with gift shops finding Kiwis don't spend anywhere as much as overseas tourists, while some cafes are rushed off their feet by visitors in need of a coffee fix.
Emma Richardson of Third Wheel Coffee Co in Paihia takes an order while husband Tom makes a coffee. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Third Wheel Coffee Co-owner Tom Richardson said business was at least 50 per cent up on the same time last year.
''We've had to learn how to be busy again. The big question is, how long will it last? Many businesses around town need it to stay busy for at least a month.''
The sudden influx was challenging because he had been forced to reduce staff when the town was quiet. Now the cafe was entirely staffed by family and neighbours, he said.
Aucklanders, who were noticeably more organised with vaccine passes than locals, made up the bulk of current customers.
Flying Kiwi Parasail has been busy in recent days but co-owner Jules De Rosa worries about the lack of forward bookings. Photo / Jules De Rosa
Meanwhile, business at Flying Kiwi Parasail was brisk yesterday but co-owner Jules De Rosa was worried about the rest of the summer.
The family business had been busy since Christmas and expected that to continue into early January, but for the first time ever they had no forward bookings.
''That's a little bit scary,'' she said.
Most of their current customers were ''new New Zealanders'' who chose parasailing because it was a family activity multiple generations could enjoy.
In past years Kiwis had dominated in January while international visitors were the mainstay in February.
''But they're not coming this year so it's about keeping our head above water. We're living week by week,'' she said.
As of Friday Northland is the only region in the red traffic light setting. That affects larger hospitality venues in particular because they are limited to 100 customers at a time.
