Waikato tourism CEO Jason Dawson said the focus will be on pulling business events to the city as part of the restart phase. Photo / Supplied
Waikato tourism CEO Jason Dawson said the focus will be on pulling business events to the city as part of the restart phase. Photo / Supplied
Waikato tourism is focusing on a domestic marketing campaign as the region continues to feel the impact of Covid-19.
At the Hamilton City Council's economic and development committee meeting this week, Waikato Tourism CEO Jason Dawson provided an update on how the region's tourism sector is faring as New Zealand moves to alert level two.
Dawson said the sector is moving into the restart phase. A massive drop in the tourism economy is expected before picking up later in the year.
"We are starting a restart campaign in attracting major events back to the region. We saw people being innovative such as virtual Field Days, but we are hoping to get a lot of our business events and conferences back up by September," Dawson said.
"Business events will become a mix of virtual and face to face with physical distancing, so the size of the venues we have here - like Claudelands, with its large rooms and halls - provide us with a great opportunity to leverage these events."
Dawson said Waikato was in a strong position because of the delay of the New Zealand International Convention Centre and other projects around New Zealand.
"It provides the region with a bit of an advantage for the next 12 months."
Dawson said there have been a increase in bookings heading into July, and they expect national events to return at Alert Level 1.
Claudelands Event Centre is being eyed up for business events as tourism looks to restart. Photo / Hamilton City Council
He said he expects international flights to return in 12 months, with the proposed transtasman bubble.
Last Friday Air New Zealand said it would be adding domestic flights at alert level two, including the Hamilton to Wellington route.
The airline said that it would fly to most domestic airports when the nation entered level 2 but only at about 20 per cent of the capacity pre-Covid-19, and it would not be able to offer its normal cheapest lead-in fares.
"Alert level 2 will see the return of flying to the likes of Queenstown, Invercargill and Blenheim in the South Island and Rotorua, Gisborne, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Hamilton, Whangarei and Kerikeri in the north," said the airline's chief executive, Greg Foran.
"We've been keen to start domestic air services as soon as practicably possible to support New Zealand's economic recovery and connect family, friends and businesses.
"But the ramp-up to higher frequencies will be a slow journey and even when we come out of alert level 1, all our domestic destinations will see fewer flights and reduced frequencies. This is the harsh reality of closed international borders and a depressed domestic economy, with more Kiwis in unemployment and people watching what they spend," he said.
Air New Zealand flights now support essential travel between Auckland and Christchurch, Wellington, Tauranga and Napier, as well as between Wellington-Christchurch, Wellington-Nelson and Christchurch-Dunedin.
"One-metre social distancing means we can only sell just under 50 per cent of seats on a turboprop aircraft and just 65 per cent on an A320," he said.
"On that basis, to ensure we cover our operating costs, we won't be able to offer our lowest lead-in fares until social distancing measures are removed."
Foran added that New Zealanders lived in the "best country on Earth and on our doorstep have world-class accommodation, attractions and activities".
