Rotorua Moteliers Association chairman and owner of the Arista of Rotorua motel Mike Gallagher said they were normally 'chocka-full' at Easter time. Photo / Andrew Warner
Rotorua Moteliers Association chairman and owner of the Arista of Rotorua motel Mike Gallagher said they were normally 'chocka-full' at Easter time. Photo / Andrew Warner
Bustling holiday parks and booked out motels are usually the reality for Rotorua when Easter rolls around.
But as lockdown grips the nation, motel and hotel rooms will remain empty this long weekend.
Events and attractions that normally brought hundreds to the city on Easter weekend all had to beshut down and a long-awaited five-star restaurant opening postponed.
Many accommodation providers are warning that the industry may never quite look the same again.
"We're empty and we are looking that way for the next five to six weeks."
Rotorua Moteliers Association chairman and owner of the Arista of Rotorua motel Mike Gallagher said they were normally 'chocka-full' at Easter time. Photo / Andrew Warner
This is the situation for Rotorua Moteliers Association chairman and owner of the Arista of Rotorua motel Mike Gallagher.
He said normally at Easter time they were "chocka-full" and it was their final chance to take in the earnings before the quiet winter season.
Times were tough for many in the accommodation sector, but this normally-busy weekend would be even tougher.
He said this time of year often saw some of the city's "biggest events" bringing in loads of people. Instead, moteliers were in "survival mode" with empty lots and rent challenges mounting, he said.
"We are all just hoping we can make it out of this thing ... it's not going to bounce back.
"The accommodation landscape will be forever be changed after this."
Rotorua Moteliers Association chairman and owner of the Arista of Rotorua motel Mike Gallagher said Easter was their final chance to take in the earnings before the quiet winter season. Photo / Andrew Warner
Rotorua's Regal Palms, a five-star resort that had just completed a multimillion-dollar extension, was hurting too.
Manager Paul Huck said they were preparing to open 26 new deluxe rooms, a new garden and a new five-star restaurant as the lockdown was coming into place.
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He said they could never have expected what had happened and every day they were reassessing when may be an appropriate time for the opening.
"We were expecting big numbers at Easter time."
He said they planned to launch a range of domestic deals like offering the new deluxe rooms for the same rate as an old one. The three-night restaurant grand opening had been postponed.
Hospitality New Zealand Bay of Plenty regional manager Alan Sciascia said compared to previous Easters, there had been a "quantum shift" from "where we are from where we were".
He said business relied on people being able to move, especially at this time of year, so every single person was being impacted.
"We are all in the same boat."
Analysis of a Marketview electronic card expenditure by visitors snapshot for Rotorua showed that Easter weekend last year brought upwards of $8 million into the local economy.
It also showed that the Easter Saturday spend was more than double the spend of the Saturdays on either side last year.
This graph did not represent the full visitor expenditure, meaning the figures were likely much higher.
Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Bryce Heard said as Rotorua was such a domestic destination, Easter was usually an extremely busy time for the city.
He said it was the holiday place of choice for many families over the weekend.
However, this year the monetary losses from cancellations and lack of business would be felt across the business community, he said.
"Everything has just come to a big halt."
The real test would be how well businesses could get the wheels rolling again once lockdown rules are lifted, he said.
"We have to focus on getting things going again safely."
The Hickey Contractors Ltd Easter Extravaganza stockcar event was often a big-hitter for the city, with many racers coming from around the country.
